


The Adventures of the Crimson Hawk

by starwenn



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: Action/Adventure, Airships, Alternative Universe - Historical, Alternative Universe - Steampunk, Alternative Universe - Swashbuckler, Droids are Human, F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-18
Updated: 2017-07-14
Packaged: 2018-10-20 09:36:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 31
Words: 104,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10659849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starwenn/pseuds/starwenn
Summary: Duchess Leia Organa becomes involved with intrigue and adventure when she joins a society rebelling against the cruel Coruscant Empire...and has several encounters with the mysterious Crimson Hawk and his companion the Golden Eagle.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to my first long "Star Wars" novel! I've long been a fan of swashbucklers, adventures, dashing desperadoes, hidden identities, and feisty damsels who aren't always in distress. This is the first of five historical novels based around the Original and Prequel trilogies I have planned, two of which (a 30's adventure and an 80's action/comedy) I've already started. This was originally going to be a straight swashbuckler...but then I saw some "Star Wars" steampunk cosplay and thought making the starships steam ships or airships might be fun. It took me a long time to hash out ideas - I must have re-written the first few chapters six times. At any rate, hope you enjoy! :)

Imperial Road, Naboo, May 1877

Leia Organa leaned back in the carriage, between her Aunt Breha and her trunk. “When are we going to arrive at the inn?” 

“Within the hour. There should be someone waiting for us when we arrive. Some envoy from Miss Mothma's household.” Her aunt shivered, looking out the rain-spattered window. “I hope this spring rain ends soon. It may delay our crossing.” Duchess Breha Organa was a handsome woman, with her silver-streaked dark hair, sharp brown eyes, and pursed red mouth. “I don't know if staying in the heart of Naboo was a good idea. Mon Mothma is a good friend, but Naboo's not always known for its hospitality, especially right now.”

Bail Organa looked up from his newspaper. His suit was an elegant but simple cut. The emerald-green cravat was perfectly tied and his pearl cufflinks were straight as pins. “It'll be worth it. Coruscant's Diamond Jubilee is supposed to be the biggest event in the country's history. The Royal Regatta, the Diamond Gala Ball before the coronation, the Lothal Art Festival and Exhibition...you'll love it.” 

His eyes went up to Leia. “They just opened the new Naboo Khyber Works factory, too, the first of its kind to process khyber crystals anywhere. The old Jedi Guards always processed them by hand, before they were disbanded.” He sighed. “We need this vacation, what with everything going on. I'm glad we managed to escape for a whole month.”

“So am I.” Breha sighed, wistfully leaning back in her seat. “A whole summer of nothing to do but have picnics, watch horse races, buy jams at fairs, and attend the occasional ball. It sounds like heaven.”

Leia's dark eyes glittered. “There's so much unrest in Naboo and Coruscant these days. I can't believe they're even wasting money on a Diamond Jubilee Celebration or a coronation! If the Jedi Guards were still alive, surely they wouldn't allow this.” She took the paper from her uncle. “This is all propaganda. Palpatine calls himself 'prime minister,' but he's really a dictator. The real royal family died when Coruscant invaded Naboo.”

She may have been tiny and slender, in her white traveling suit and veiled hat with its dashing ecru feather, but Leia Shimi Organa was as tough and feisty as any man or woman alive. She held her matching white parasol with the ruffled trim and steel shaft on her knees.

“He's also the only ruler Naboo has at the moment. When he's crowned, it'll unify Coruscant and Naboo.” Bail patted his niece's knee and gathered the paper. “You'll like staying with Mon Mothma. Chalindria Court is big enough to fit two of Aldra Castle, with a vast library and many fine gardens.”

“Senator Mothma?” She nodded eagerly. “Oh yes. I've read about her. She's very influential in political circles. I've wanted to talk to her for years about the situation in the Naboo Empire.” 

His lips fell in a grim line. “There's a blurb on the front page about a fire at the Erso Shipyards in Scarif. Everyone there was killed, including the owner. Galen Erso was a friend of mine and of Senator Mothma's. The Shipyard was one of Coruscant's major suppliers of battle cruisers other military vehicles.” He stopped at one page. “Including experimental flying craft. It would seem Erso designed a fleet of flying battle cruisers. They're calling them airships. There was a fire that started while they were testing it, and it got out of control.”

“I think it's ridiculous.” Leia made a face as she read over her father's shoulder. “Everyone knows Baron Vader is just the prime minister's lap dog, and he stole his title from the previous consort. Palpatine and Tarkin are the ones who made the rules. They censor everything – the press, artwork, every aspect of day-to-day living. People are starving or losing their homes or their lives, and they want to crown him king!”

Breha shuddered. “I heard they're even using slave labor from Kashyyak, Naboo's protectorate in Africa, and are forcing them to work with the khyber crystals. No local will do it. Khyber crystals are unstable if they're not handled properly.” 

Her husband nodded. “I agree. I've been arguing against these atrocities for years. I intend to talk to Tarkin and Mon Mothma and find a way to put an end to them while we're here.” 

“I hope the driver hurries.” Breha shivered. “I've heard there's bandits on these roads. The Crimson Hawk and his men. They'll steal from any cart that passes through their territory.” 

Bail wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulders. “The Crimson Hawk is just a Naboo myth. These are more than likely just desperate men who think they have no other recourse but to steal.”

Leia's fingers tightened around the parasol. “I'm ready for them.”

“I don't think anyone can be ready for them, my Lelita.” Bail folded his newspaper neatly as the sun began to break through the clouds. “I've heard of them, too. They catch you by surprise, then take your valuables.”

Leia was just beginning to doze off when the carriage jolted to a stop. She and her aunt tumbled to the floor, a mass of arms and legs in stiff cotton suits. The door had been flung open, giving Leia a quick glimpse of feet in shiny knee-length boots and tight black breeches. The sound of guns firing and swords clashing clanged in her ears.

“Everyone out!” The carriage was surrounded by men on horseback. Each one wore a white blouse with a black vest trimmed with brass buttons that shown as they caught the emerging late afternoon sunlight. Red bands encircled each right arm. Their heads were covered by black masks that completely obscured their faces and hair and thick, dusty goggles that covered their eyes. Three held guns or swords on their drivers. Another two held swords on their valet's throats. The goggles and the muscles bulging under some of their shirts gave them a rather sinister air. 

One small fellow with wisps of black hair under his hood whipped open a burlap bag. “Start handing over your valuables, people. Make it snappy.” He nodded at one burly fellow who had to be over 7 feet. Leia could see thick hair sticking out of his mask. “Or our friend here will start removing arms from sockets.”

“This is an outrage!” Bail stepped out first. “I am Duke Bail Organa of Alderaan, and I demand to know what this is all about!”

Two more men galloped out of the shadows, as if they'd simply emerged from them. The taller of the two sported a bright red blouse with a red sash under the black vest and rode a proud black stallion. The smaller rider's blouse was gold, his sash black, his horse a white and gold palomino. Both men carried finely etched guns. The shorter thief had a long, thin scabbard on one hip and a strange contraptions of wires and pipes on his back. The taller one had a knife in a scabbard on his leg.

The taller of the two gave them a lazy smirk. “Well then,” he said in a long drawl, “since you're obviously so well-off, why don't you give the Crimson Hawk a donation to our little charity fund? Say, all the money in your purse?”

“Uncle Bail, no!” Leia grabbed his arm. “Don't give in to him!” She turned angrily toward the man on horseback. “You're nothing more than a thief and a scoundrel. Preying on innocent travelers! You could be hung for this!” 

The men around her all laughed. The Crimson Hawk was about to reach for her, but she smacked his hand with the sharp end of her parasol and slapped it away. “You'll not harm me,” she hissed, “or my aunt and uncle. If you do, you'll be missing fingers.”

Ignoring her anger, he took her unoccupied hand and kissed it. “You're beautiful, my lady,” he whispered. His thumb ran softly over her knuckle. “What do they call you and that temper of yours?”

“Duchess Leia Organa.” She glared down at her hand. “Stop that.”

The Crimson Hawk barely noticed. “Stop what?”

“Stop that.” She nodded at him rubbing her hand. “My hands are dirty.”

“And mine are in gloves.” He raised her chin. “What are you afraid of?”

“Afraid?” She pulled away. “I'm not afraid of anything.”

Bail coughed, and the smaller man on horseback tapped his shoulder. “Uh, Crimson Hawk,” the man said in an odd, high, crackling voice, “we really need to get going. The Lady Pirate is expecting us.” 

The Crimson Hawk blinked, as if coming out of a dream. “Oh. Oh, yeah.” He put out his hands. “All I ask is a tribute, and you can be on your way.”

Bail finally pulled a wad of money from his wallet. “This is all I have on me, but it's yours.” He placed it firmly in the man's palm. “As long as it goes to people in need, not in your pockets or to some gambling house.”

“Don't worry.” The smaller rider gave them a sunny grin, one too sweet and gentle for a highwayman. “We'll make sure it goes to good people.”

“Mr. Hawk.” The very tall man tapped the Crimson Hawk on the shoulder. “The Rogues and I saw twenty of Palpatine's men on the road further back. We really have to go.”

“Right, Rogue Three.” He grinned at Leia, winking at her. “Maybe we'll meet again sometime, Your Highnessness.” 

“And maybe you'll rot in the seven pits of hell.” Leia glared at him as he and his men took off into the woods.

Bail turned to his wife. “Breha, do you still have the emergency savings in your...er...special place?”

His wife sighed and turned around. Her slender fingers dug into her maroon traveling suit, between her corset and her bosom. She emerged with a matching purse. “You know I never travel without my pin money. You don't know what you'll run into. This should be enough for a meal at the nearest inn.”

“Good.” Her husband put his hands over hers. “I suspect we should get back into the vehicle now. The bandits may still be watching us. And if they aren't, there may be others who are far less easy-going patrolling the roads.”

Leia was still fuming. “Uncle Bail, he tried to flirt with me! A wanted criminal, and he treated me like some bar maid!”

Breha's husband offered her a hand as she gathered her skirts and stepped back into the carriage. The older woman sniffed. “I thought he was far too forceful, even if his manners weren't as terrible as you'd assume a bandit's would be.” 

“I wouldn't worry about him, dear.” Bail helped his niece into the carriage. “We'll probably never see him again.”

They were about to start again when six men on horseback surrounded them. Unlike the bandits, these men wore the shiny white and black uniforms of the Naboo army. Leia shuddered at their heavy muskets and the narrow swords. Each man wore a thick white metal helmet and goggles that protected their heads, but made their faces no more visible than that of the bandits.

Their leader sent a chill into her heart. Vader was the most imposing man in the Coruscant Empire. It was rumored that he wasn't a man at all, but a half-man, half-machine hybrid. His black Naboo uniform with its shiny red and silver braid trim barely fit over the full body armor. A hard rubber mask with one large green lens and one smaller black one and a breathing apparatus covered in thick tubes extended down to panel of nobs and levers on his chest. His long jacket billowed around him like a cape. Leia wondered if he used the steam from his apparatus to make it flare out for dramatic effect.

“Your Grace.” He gave them a small bow. “I wasn't expecting to see you on the road at this time of the year. I thought you'd be in Alderaan, attending the spring galas there.”

Bail gave him a small smile, but it was quite stiff it was. “My family is on its way to visit Senator Mothma for the summer. We're meeting her envoy at the Takodana Inn. We've heard it's going to be quite a party.”

Vader snorted. “I would have preferred doing without all this pomp and frivolity, but our leader insists it's good for the country and to show our might to the rest of the Alliance.” His hiss grew more pronounced. “We have my new airship projects for that. The only reason I agreed to it was to introduce the public to the new Naboo airship fleet. No one will dare oppose Naboo now.”

“If,” Leia pointed out, “you ever get them off the ground. We heard about the fire.”

“An unfortunate accident, but not a major one. The Death Star fleet will be off the ground in time for the coronation.” Vader waved it off. “Two of my soldiers saw men in masks here a few moments ago. Would you have any idea where they went? They're the notorious Crimson Hawk and Golden Eagle gang.” 

Leia opened her mouth, but Bail shook his head. “I'm afraid we were all too traumatized to see where they went. They stole almost all the money we had on us.” Bail gave Leia a sharp nudge to her ankle. “Thankfully my wife had some hidden.”

“Oh, yes.” Breha fanned herself. “It was so frightening! The way those ruffians behaved!”

“We'll escort you to your destination.” Vader's hiss now sounded more like a growl. “But if your keeping anything about the attack from us, you will be arrested for withholding information. These bandits have been nothing but a menace. Nobles who pass through here have reported having everything from jewelry to their purses stolen. Other times, they've released prisoners that were being taken to Theed for trial.”

Bail only gathered his newspaper. “We'll do anything in our power to aid you.” 

“Uncle,” Leia whispered, leaning against him as the carriage jolted to life again, “why didn't you tell him the truth?”

“I don't trust Vader. Why would he care about an ordinary bandit? He's after something.” Bail put his arm around his niece. “Stay close to your aunt and me, and watch what you say. It's rumored that Vader has the power to read men's minds, some trick he picked up from ancient Jedi texts.”

Leia only nodded as her aunt curled up on his other side. “I'm ready for anything.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Why did you let 'em off easy, mate?” Chewbacca shook the Crimson Hawk's shoulder as they dashed through the forest. “You could 'ave taken them for a lot more than just'a few gold coins.”

“It's the lass, isn't it?” Another man with blue eyes and thick black hair and a mustache peeking under his hood snickered. “Admit it, mate, you fell for the girl.”

“I can't say I blame him.” A taller man gave them a toothy grin. “She was mouthy, that one.”

“You know me. Can't resist a good-looking lady.” The Crimson Hawk showed off his lazy grin. “And the aunt wasn't bad lookin', either.”

The younger man with the golden hair sticking out of his hood held up the bag. “This is more money than we can gather in a week! Do you know how many mouths we could feed with this?”

“Not to mention,” the tallest man added in his strange accent, “we need to start working on releasing the slaves at Nabarrie Palace and the airship grounds.” He growled. “If they've harmed my son and father, I'll...”

“I have connections, Chewie. Last time I checked with them, they were tired and hungry, but still alive.” The Hawk held up one of the coins in his hand. “Some of it has to go into my 'special fund,' too. We'll pay off Jenkins yet.” 

The Crimson Hawk patted the younger man on the shoulder. “And there's our secret weapon. Just needs a few more tweaks, and she'll be ready for operation. In the meantime, we need to work on our plans for for the Lothal Arts Festival, an' the kid an' Kenton need to finish updating his old man's light sword.” 

He turned to his men. “I'll see you boys at Lady Mothma's party tomorrow night. She's honoring some rich dignitaries coming from up north.” His grin grew nearly feral. “Tarkin and Vader are going to be there. So will a lot of other rich people. Shouldn't be hard to swipe a few thousand credits' worth of trinkets off that fancy crowd. Maybe we'll even make enough money to take the Falcon and get out of this mud hole.”

The man on horseback tilted his head thoughtfully. “Han, that girl...there was something about her. And not just her being pretty. I felt like I knew her.”

The Crimson Hawk's lips curled into a sneer. “A grand duchess? Girl like her wouldn't have time for working stiffs like us. You probably just saw her face in the newspaper when they did articles on Alderaan.”

“I need to get going.” The Golden Eagle looked at his pocket watch, a large gold piece with the insignia of a crown and a star engraved on the cover. “I told Lady Mothma Ben and I would meet those dignitaries for her. Ben went on ahead to talk to Maz.”

“Great, kid. I'd join you, but I'm due for a chat with Governor Tarkin about delivering crystals to the new factory.” The Crimson Hawk turned his black stallion in the opposite direction. “I'll meet you back at Chalindria Court. Our parlor is still bein' repaired. Mothma offered hers.”

“You be careful.” Chewbacca patted the Crimson Hawk's shoulder. “Huttman's out for blood because you lost that shipment of opium. You don't need Palpatine and Vader on your tail, too.”

“Don't remind me. It'll be better this time.” He flashed his friend a wide smile. “Trust me.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We learn more about the situation in Naboo and are introduced to many of its citizens, including wily Maz Kantana, sweet Luke Skywalker, his mentor Benjamin Kenton, and their employer, the mysterious Henry Solo.

The carriage arrived at the Takodana Inn within the hour. Vader and his escort left them even before they arrived. “We need to continue our search.” His breathing grew heavier. “If you or your family can remember anything about the Crimson Hawk or his men, tell me or General Tarkin at Nabarrie Castle. We can't have bandits driving people off the roads.”

Bail nodded. “We'll do that, Your Excellency.” Leia was a bit torn. On one hand, the bandits were criminals. On the other hand...something told her Vader wasn't much better. He'd been callous about the deaths in the factory fire, caring more about his airship than his people. 

Two rather large, unshaven men in cheap suits helped her and her mother down the rickety wooden steps provided. Breha eyed the men warily. “What kind of place is this? I think the Crimson Hawk's men looked more reputable than these two. At least they were rather clean and well-trimmed, for mercenaries. These fellows look positively frightening.”

Leia shrugged. “I don't care what they look like. As long as the food's decent and no one kills us, I'm willing to eat anywhere.”

She was surprised at how big the place was. The old stone house, with it's wide round turrets and narrow windows. was more like an ancient keep than an inn. This was born by the main lobby, which was furnished with clean but shabby dark wood furniture that looked like it had been in the same place for hundreds of years.

Even as Bail rang the bell at the heavily polished cherry wood desk, Leia could hear grumbling from beyond the main room. “I'm coming, I'm coming.” The old woman was the tiniest person she had ever seen. She had reddish skin and a shock of wild gray hair under a bright paisley head scarf. In fact, she looked more like a gypsy than a typical inn keeper, with her shapeless, patched blouse and baggy man's trousers. 

“May I help...” The delicate old wrinkles on the old woman's face lifted into the widest, most toothless grin Leia had ever seen. “Bail! I haven't seen you since the last time you were here after the Coruscant invasion.” 

“Maz Kantana.” Bail grinned. “You look as healthy as ever. Still running this place? I'm surprised Vader hasn't tried to shut you down. If he knew about all the raids you used to go on as a young woman...”

Maz waved him off. “As long as I don't bother him, Vader won't give a flaming hell about me. He's too busy sending troops to take over every other corner of Europe.” She turned her toothless grin on Breha. “And Breha. You're looking absolutely gorgeous. I will never figure out how this idiot here,” she gave Bail a friendly slug in the shoulder, “managed to win one of the smartest and most charming women in the Alliance.” 

Leia laughed as Bail rubbed his shoulder. Breha chuckled. “It wasn't easy. Father objected to my marrying a country lawyer, but I knew Bail was the man for me the moment he took me on a date to a fencing match and an outdoor picnic, instead of some dull tea party.”

“And you...” Maz peered at Leia. “You're the niece. I've heard about you.” She squinted under her thick spectacles. “I've lived many years, my dear, long enough to see the same eyes on different faces. Yours...they're familiar. Do you have family in Coruscant? Or perhaps, Naboo?”

“Mother came from Naboo.” The young woman sighed. “She died when I was a baby.”

“Yes, well,” Bail coughed, “Maz, we're supposed to be meeting a representative of Senator Mon Mothma.”

“Bail? Bail, is that you?” The gentleman was old, but not nearly as ancient as Maz. Leia placed him in his early 60's, a few years older than her uncle. His white hair was perfectly combed back, his mustache and goatee neatly groomed and waxed. He wore an elegant khaki suit under a heavy brown cloak, a cane in his hand. “Bail, you made it!”

“Ben!” He threw his arms around the older man. “Leia, this is Sir Benjamin Kenton. He was in my unit during the Alliance Wars. Saved my life more than once, the old devil!”

“Really?” Leia had heard many stories about Sir Kenton's bravery and cunning battle tactics. Her uncle claimed they had more than once saved his men from a gruesome fate at the hands of the enemy. “It's so wonderful to meet you! Uncle Bail has told me so much about you.”

“Ben?” A young man her own age stepped out after him. “Have they arrived yet?” He was slight and slender, with bright, eager blue eyes. The simple pale tan suit, with its narrow brown velvet bow tie, gold blouse, tight trousers, and high, shiny boots, suited him. He held a tweed cap in his slender hands. 

“Luke!” Ben lead the young man over to the group. “Bail, I want you to meet Luke Skywalker, my apprentice, my best fencing student, and the ward of our employer, Mr. Henry Solo.”

“Solo?” Bail raised an eyebrow. “I've heard that name. Wasn't there a pirate who went by name of Captain Han Solo? He was quite notorious, I believe. Must have stolen millions of dollars worth of gold and jewels from half the countries in Europe.”

Luke nodded. “That's Henry. He went legit over a decade ago. He runs a shipping business now.”

“I know the name Skywalker, too.” Bail took the boy's hand. “Are you related to Baron Anakin Skywalker, by any chance?”

Luke frowned. “He was my father, sir. I never knew him. He died when I was born.”

“He was a good man.” Bail smirked at Ben. “Bravest and most foolhardy knight in the entire Jedi Corps. Ben here was really the only one who could ever keep him in line.”

A small smile played on Ben's lips. “And then, just barely.” He nodded at the middle-aged couple. “Luke, these are Duke Bail and Grand Duchess Breha Organa.” The boy gave them a rather deep bow. “They're the ones who'll be staying with Mon Mothma at Chalindria Court for the Jubilee. And this,” he put a hand on Leia's shoulder, “is their niece, Duchess Leia Organa.”

Leia couldn't help returning his sunny smile. “It's nice to meet you. Do you live near Chalindria Court?”

“Oh yes,” Luke admitted. “I live next-door with Ben and Henry. Our home isn't nearly as grand or as fancy as Mon Mothma's, but it's comfortable enough.” 

“You know,” Leia began, “there's something familiar about you...”

Luke blushed. “I was about to say the same thing. It's as if...I've known you all my life.” Even more than just for ten minutes on the road, he added mentally. Even then, I felt like I knew this girl. “Do you like machines? Have you ever driven one of those new-fangled cars?”

“I haven't, but I'm hoping to. I'd love to drive a car, or maybe even fly someday.” Leia sighed. “I've taken every lesson I can – shooting, fencing, archery, riding, running ships, repairing carriages, building things. I even got an old friend of my uncle's to teach me boxing on the sly.”

“Do you like to fence?” Luke grinned. “Ben has been teaching me to fence. I'm not as good at it as he is, but I'm getting better. Charles helps sometimes, too.”

Leia raised an eyebrow. “Charles?”

“Henry's valet and manservant. They've known each other for years.” Luke beamed proudly. “Henry's really brilliant. You should seen all the ships he's designed and the machines he's developed to haul freight more efficiently. Ben is his manager, and I'm sort of his secretary. I help him with his duties, aid him with his blueprints and building, and even help deliver some important shipments.”

The young man sighed. “He's going to meet us at Mon Mothma's. He's setting up a deal with Governor Tarkin of Coruscant. The Coruscant government is one of our biggest clients. I don't like it, but they do pay us well. Our main parlor is in the midst of being remodeled. It, uh,” he blushed, “got a little damaged when we were working on a new chemical that could clean out steam engines and make them run faster.” Luke sighed. “Henry's friendly when you get to know him, but he mostly hides. He's kind of quiet.”

Luke and Leia spent the rest of the afternoon talking. Leia couldn't believe how much they had in common. “You lost your parents, too?” She asked as they took a stroll around the small, shady gardens. 

Luke nodded. “My mother gave me to my Aunt Berta and Uncle Owen when I was just a baby.” 

“Mine died when I was a year old. I barely remember her.” Leia shrugged. “Just images, really. Feelings.” She turned to Luke. “What about your father? Uncle Bail told me mine was a member of the Jedi Guards and died when they were all killed.”

Luke's sweet face darkened. “Ben used to be a Jedi, too. He just avoided being killed off with the rest of them. He told me Baron Vader betrayed and murdered Anakin Skywalker and stole his titles and land.”

“That's awful!” Leia took his hand without thinking. “I'm so sorry.”

Luke blushed at the hand. “I'm going to avenge him someday, though. My aunt and uncle, too. Lord Vader won't get away with this!”

Maz came out, jutting a finger over her narrow shoulders. “Hey you two, chow's on. I have veal stew and fresh bread on the table. Probably not as fancy as you're used to, Duchess, but it's food.”

“I'm sure it'll be fine.” Leia sniffed, grinning. There was a wonderful, savory scent drifting in from the kitchen. “It already smells delightful.” 

Ben came out just as they came in. “Are you going to eat with us?” Luke indicated Leia. “I can't believe she's a duchess. She likes cars and steam engines and stereoscopes and she can fence and shoot and hunt too and she's been all over Europe!”

“It's part of my duties.” Leia shrugged. “I'm expected to attend banquets and major functions with my father. I'll be taking over his job someday.”

“I'm glad you young people have found so much to talk about.” Ben shooed them in. “Tell Bail I'll be along in a few minutes. I just need to talk to Miss Kantana.”

He turned to Maz as soon as the duo entered, still chatting away. “All right, Maz. What have you heard? That fire at the Erso Shipyards didn't happen because someone set if off.” 

“No, it didn't.” Maz took Ben aside, near the wood pile. “The Crimson Hawk isn't the only rebel in Naboo. I've heard from a couple of my boys that there's another rebellion brewing, one that's starting with the gentry. The people who were killed at the Shipyards were their spies. We're pretty sure that's why Vader sped up the completion of the Death Star Airship Line. They found out something big and were silenced because of it.”

“I've heard rumors.” Ben played with his cane. “Han says it's none of his business. He just wants the boy to have what's rightfully his and to pay off his debts. I've been trying to convince him otherwise. We could do a lot more for this country than rescue Wookie natives and steal cash from aristocrats.” 

“Prime Minister Palpatine is up to something, I know that much.” Maz shook her head. “He's the the one who really gives the orders in Naboo. Vader is a glorified errand boy.” She took off her goggles, checking for invisible dust. “That boy Luke...he's not what he says he is, is he? I know those eyes. They're the eyes of a Baron who is now only half a man.”

“He doesn't know.” Ben's voice became soft. “I told him Vader killed his father, and that his mother died when the Coruscant Empire invaded Naboo.”

Maz poked a skinny finger in his chest. “You lied.”

“I didn't lie, per se.” Ben gingerly pushed her finger away. “I told him the truth from a certain point of view.”

“Still lies.” Maz crossed her arms. “Does Solo know?”

“Some of it. He knows who Luke really is, but not who his father was...or where his father is now.” Ben sighed. “I'm not entirely sure I can trust him. He says he's given up smuggling, but I know he's still on several crime lords' most wanted lists, including Jenkins Huttman.”

“That fat old reprobate?” Maz smirked. “I thought he got blown up or covered in cement years ago.”

“Not at all. Though I wish he had.” Ben put his arms around her. “Maz, my dear woman, when was the last time I bought you a meal?”

“It's my place. If anything, I should be treating you to the food.” She managed to get her arm around his waist. “I have ale that just came in from Stewjohn County.”

“Ah, the old Scottish homeland.” He gave her his small grin. “You always were good to me, Maz.”

“I'm always good to regular customers.” Maz chuckled as the laughter of two young people filtered in. “Come on, before that apprentice of yours eats the entire loaf of bread by himself.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

They crossed the Calamari River a few hours later in Mon Mothma's private yacht, the River Queen. It was a sleek beauty, one of the latest models. The rain had subsided, allowing a majestic sunset to give the placid waters a golden glow. 

The driver was a handsome, slender man in an orange and white uniform, his black hair pulled back under a white captain's cap. “My name is Captain William Antiles,” he said in a clipped British accent, “but you can call me Wedge. I'm the driver for Senator Mothma. I'll be taking you across the river this evening.” Leia swore he gave Luke a grin and a wink...and Luke grinned seductively back. 

Leia was on her own for the first 20 minutes or so, strolling along the deck. When she passed the Captain's Quarters, she saw Luke throw his arms around Wedge as he drove and give him a playful kiss on his ear. Wedge chuckled and pushed him off, reminding him that there were other eyes on the ship.

Leia and Luke stayed by the rail for the rest of the trip, watching the sun set and the fish and birds jump and play. “What do you think,” Leia began, “about everything that's going on in Coruscant? I've heard Baron Vader's raised the taxes again to pay for his new airships. People are starving in tiny villages, and he wants to make more cannons to destroy things!” She slammed her fist into her palm. “What he should be doing is putting that money towards helping people, building roads and schools.”

“I agree.” Luke sighed. “I'm trying to get Henry to do more, but he says it's none of our business. We have to take clients, whomever those clients may be, especially with so many of the roads and trade routes blocked.”

Leia didn't like the sound of that. “Why wouldn't he care? He lives in Naboo. It's his home, too.”

“That's what I think, but Henry says it doesn't matter who's in power.” Luke shook his head. “I wish I could talk to him, but he's so stubborn.”

Leia gently put a hand on his. “Maybe I could help.”

“I don't know if you can.” Luke blushed to his toes, but he did take her hand. “Henry can be pretty mulish.”

Leia's raised her little chin determinedly. “So can I.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

A fine carriage picked them up at the docks. Leia couldn't help but goggle at the magnificence of the homes they passed. There were old stone mansions and timber manor houses alongside elaborate brand-new Gothic revival homes, with their fancy gingerbread trim and tall spires. Luke rode in the first carriage with Leia and Sir Kenton, Breha and Bail having gone on ahead with the luggage. Ben insisted that Luke would be nothing but a gentleman, and he had no difficulty chaperoning them. 

Luke leaned out the window as they passed a somewhat simpler stone manor house, one not quite as fanciful as some of the others surrounding it. It had a few cupolas, but mostly looked like the grim square homes of a century before. “There's our home, Corellia Manor. I can't wait to show it to you. There's a small building in the back that used to be servant's quarters. Henry made it over as a workshop for our ideas, garage, and a place for Ben and me to practice fencing.”

“Does Henry fence?” Leia asked as she admired the ivy-covered walls and simple, elegant grounds. “I do take fencing lessons, but I'm better with a pistol.”

“No. He used to, in his pirate days, but he can't now.” Luke sighed. “I wish he could.”

Leia was about to inquire further when the carriage pulled up to a narrow iron gate. Sir Kenton nodded at a tall old man in blue livery. “Tell Senator Mothma that Mr. Skywalker is here with Sir Kenton. The Organa family has arrived.”

Within minutes, the gates swung open. The carriages passed down a long, winding path lined with gravel. Gracious old willows mingled with spicy pine trees and pale-green maples in a profusion of elegance.

The house on the cliff, at the end of the drive, was enormous. It sprawled every which way and seemed to consist of every style of architecture to have ever existed in Coruscant, from Gothic to Baroque. The entrance seemed to be fairly recent, with its bell-shaped windows and high, sloping roof. Flowers in a rainbow of colors spilled around the sides in a messy, merry jumble.

“Bail! Breha!” Senator Mon Mothma was tall and slender, her copper-colored hair worn far shorter than the fashion. She was resplendent in a rather severe, military-style ecru suit with gold buttons and braid trim, but her smile was warm. “I'm so glad you've arrived. I was worried you had trouble on the road.”

“We had a small encounter with bandits,” Bail admitted as he helped Breha out of the carriage. “Nothing we couldn't handle.”

“The Crimson Hawk and his men attacked us.” Leia got out of the carriage herself, followed by Luke and Ben. “He stole all the money Uncle Bail had.”

“It's a good thing I had my pin money.” Breha gave Bail a look. “Or we wouldn't have had that wonderful meal at the Takodana Inn.”

“Ah yes, Maz Kantana. She's something of a local character. Some say she's a seer.” Mon chuckled. “I say that's a load of hogwash. She's just a very smart, very old woman who knows how to run a business and do it well.”

“Mon,” Ben started, “is Henry still here? I know he was meeting Tarkin about the steel shipment and the vote for the improved roadways.”

“They're both still here. Probably arguing up in my parlor.” A stiff butler in a starched gold uniform, his silver-streaked brown hair slicked back, opened the door for them. Mon Mothma smiled at him. “Thank you, Cedric.” She turned to the others. “This is Cedric, my butler. He's worked for me for years. Before that, he worked for the royal family.”

“Those were wonderful days, Senator.” Cedric smiled. “But I do enjoy working for you, too. It's so peaceful here.” He lead them in, fussing with the house boys as they gathered the luggage. 

“You'll be staying in the West Wing.” Mon pointed at the western end of the house with her parasol. “It's the newer wing, just finished three years ago, with all the latest amenities. I prefer the older wing, from the 1600's. It's drafty and musty, and I occasionally have to share my room with bats, but it's been in my family for years. I'm used to it.”

She lead them through the house at such a brisk pace, they barely had time to stop and admire the pale blue walls with their golden trim, wide marble staircases, and beautiful black and white tile floors. “We eat three meals a day. I try to do them at seven, noon, and six. Cook will put something aside for you if you're out later. She always does for me.”

The stately senator lead them to a small but cozy parlor. Seated on the red velvet and damask chairs were two men having a rather heated argument. The smaller of the two was also the older. His sunken-in face looked like a death's mask, with its sharp cheekbones and hollow, watery blue eyes. His uniform was the starched gray and silver of the Coruscant military. 

The other man was younger, maybe in his early 30's. Soft auburn hair, worn longer than the fashion, was slicked back until it shown in the late-afternoon light. His black suit, with its dark vest and blood-red blouse and checked bow tie, was the latest cut and style. He held a cane with an elaborate brass handle that resembled a hawk in one hand. A pair of gold-rimmed spectacles perched on the end of his long, majestic nose. He also had high cheekbones, but they gave him a look of roguishness, not death. A jagged scar slashed his square chin. Though his costume suggested a stiff businessman, there was still something of the pirate in his manner and the way the hazel-green eyes roved over Leia's person. 

Mon Mothma waved her gloved hand at them. “Duke and Duchess Organa, this is Mr. Henry Solo, owner of Solo Shipping and my next-door neighbor, and Governor Tarkin, the head of Theed District.”

The governor rose, clicking his heels, as Luke and Ben followed them. “Charmed to see you again, Grand Duke, Duchess.” He bowed before each of them. “And the young duchess. You certainly have grown since the last time I encountered you. You were barely a child then. Now, you're quite a young lady.”

“The last time I saw you,” Leia said sharply, “I knocked a bowl of soup into your lap because you were insulting my uncle.”

“Feisty child you have there, Bail. I always did say she was a wild one.” He took a heavy leather briefcase, turning to Henry. “I'm glad we came to an agreement about the khyber crystal shipments. You'll start shipping them tomorrow?”

Henry nodded. “First thing in the morning. They'll be some of the last things we transport before we leave.”

“Leave?” Mon Mothma sighed. “Are you still saying you're going to leave? You've been saying that for at least two years.”

“I mean it this time.” Henry tapped the brass top of his cane. “I want to get us out of town, before Jen...before things get complicated here.”

Mon Mothma stopped Tarkin as he was leaving. “You never did discuss the state of the roads with me. The Naboo Senate needs to come to a decision, before those bandits do more harm. If we can put more patrols on the road, we may be able to route those men. Not to mention, there's the repairs. The roads themselves are appalling. You can barely travel in the country without your carriage nearly being jolted to pieces by the ruts and pot holes.”

“My dear woman,” Tarkin's smile didn't reach his eyes, “right now, we're doing everything possible to track down the Crimson Hawk and his band of cutthroats. We will bring them to justice. You have my word. As for the road repairs,” he gave her a rather condescending smirk, “that's hardly a discussion for small parlors. Let's save it for when the Senate is in session.”

Henry coughed. “Tarkin, the only reason you care about those bandits is they're embarrassing you. Otherwise, you wouldn't give two beans what they do. They've mostly stuck to robbing nobles and releasing Wookie slaves from your smelly prisons.”

“Why don't we talk about this further at my ball tonight?” Mon Mothma turned to the Organas. “I'm holding a small party tonight in the ballroom at 7. Black tie, good dresses. Nothing too ostentatious. There will be a more elaborate Diamond Jubilee Grand Gala at Naberrie Palace at the end of the summer. This will be just an appetizer.”

“You're all invited, of course.” She nodded at Henry. “Including you, Mr. Solo, and Mr. Skywalker and Sir Kenton. You're my neighbors, and Sir Kenton has been my friend for many years.”

Leia wondered why Henry hadn't risen when the other men did. She got her answer when Luke went to his guardian's side. The young man put his arms under Henry and helped him slowly to his feet, Henry leaning heavily on his ward. “Oh,” Breha said in surprise, “you poor man. You're crippled. You must be in terrible pain.” 

Henry's eyes narrowed. “So what? That don't mean noth...doesn't mean anythin'.”

“You don't have to be so rude!” Leia glared at him. “It's not Aunt Breha's fault that you take five minutes just to stand up!”

“Maybe you should learn a few manners, Duchess.” He bowed as well as he could for Mon Mothma. “Sorry, Senator. I think the kid and I had better get going. We've gotta get ready for your shindig tonight, and we both have things we're working on. Thanks for lettin' me hold this meeting here.” He had the grace to look sheepish. “We're still cleaning up the mess from one of my, er, experiments at my place.”

Mon Mothma gave him a small smile. “Certainly, Henry.”

Luke gave Leia a hug as Henry, leaning heavily on his cane, manage to swagger even while limping. “I'm sorry, Leia. He's a little self-conscious about his bad leg. I'll calm him down, and I'm sure he'll be fine by the time of the party tonight. I'm looking forward to it now. I'll have you to talk to.”

Leia smiled. “Thank you, Luke. I am, too.”

Ben shook his head as Luke hurried past him. “Poor Henry. I don't suppose Luke told you why Henry gave up his naval career.”

Leia watched Luke head after his guardian. “He only told me he'd gone straight. He never said why.”

“On his last voyage, Captain Han Solo was delivering a massive shipment of opium and other drugs to the crime lord Jenkins Huttman. He was just outside of Mos Eisley, on the island of Tatoonie, when his ship was stopped by local officials. Not only was he forced to jettison his cargo, but he was shot by an official while attempting to escape. The bullet shattered his right knee. It took him two years to be able to walk again. He's very proud of that. Most men in his position would be paralyzed for life.”

“I'm sorry that he can't walk well, but he didn't need to be nasty about it!” Leia grumbled. 

Bail sighed. “You didn't have to antagonize him, Leia.”

“Cedric will take you to the West Wing to settle down and get prepared for the party. I'll have Sabine bring your meals up to you. I do need to talk to Tarkin here before he leaves.” Mon Mothma sent them off. 

“Leia,” Breha began, “Henry was rude, but I should have been more sensitive. Perhaps you should both apologize at the ball tonight.”

“I will if he will.” Leia shook her head. “How can he and Luke stand living together? Luke is such a sweetheart. He wasn't rude to me once.”

“Master Luke is a dear.” Cedric gave them a thin smile. “Such a gentle soul, and so helpful to Master Henry. He and that over-sized fur coat he calls a valet are the ones who take care of him.”

“Luke seems like a sweet boy.” Breha smiled knowingly at Leia. “I believe you were interested in him.”

“As a friend.” Leia's brow furrowed as they turned a corner into gleaming white and pale gold rococo halls. “There's something...familiar...about him. I've only known him a few hours, but I felt like he's been a part of me all my life.”

Breha's grin grew wider. “That means it's meant to be.”

“We'll see, Auntie.” Leia shook her head as Cedric and several young pages in orange and gold uniforms lead them to their rooms. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Crimson Hawk and his men put in an appearance at the ball...but so does the menacing Baron Vader. Meanwhile, Leia has two very different late-night encounters.

Leia's suite was twice as big as her room at home in Aldra House. The walls were a soft pale pink, with pink and pale gold drapes and a soft pink and gold canopy bed with a mattress she sank into when she sat on it. The thick furnishings were all upholstered in the same pink and soft gold, with ruffles that cascaded to the floor. The view from her massive French windows showed clear to the harbor. Delicate vines and flowers were painted all along the walls, and even up to the ceiling. The latest in gas lights stood by her bed and on the beautifully carved antique writing desk, covered by stained glass.

There was little time to admire the view or explore the house. No sooner had her trunk and suitcases been brought up and stowed in the roomy closets and dressers than it was time to enjoy the pleasures of the bath. Aldra House had bathrooms, but they were small and musty, added as afterthoughts. It certainly didn't have a bathroom as large, or a tub as large, as the one Leia enjoyed. Sabine, the maid she'd seen earlier with the red-orange hair braided with purple and blue ribbons, scrubbed her until her delicate skin showed pink and her velvet-brown hair glowed warmly in the oncoming twilight.

Her mother came in just as Sabine was finishing her hair. “Leia,” Breha said, “you look amazing. Young lady,” she smiled as the girl, “you have an artist's touch. My niece looks simply ravishing.”

“Thank you, miss.” The girl had a slight Irish lilt to her youthful voice. “I'm hopin' to make enough money to attend an art school and become a real artist me'self someday.”

“Keep doing good work like this, and I might see if I can lend you a hand.” Leia's hair had been swept into elegant braids and ringlets that cascaded down her back, with amaryllis tucked into the crown. Her white gown had a bustle trimmed with lace and ruffles and a lacy wrap with silk flowers flowing like a waterfall to the frilly skirt. The sleeves were all puffs and organdy frills.

Leia grinned. “You don't look bad yourself, Aunt Breha.”

“Do you like it?” The small, dark-haired duchess turned around in her equally fancy turquoise gown, with it's black ruffles and over-skirt. “I had it made just before we came here. It's my first time wearing it.”

Sabine smiled. “Oh, it's lovely, Your Grace. You wear it very well.”

“Thank you, Sabine. That will be all.” Breha nodded at the girl. “I can take it from here. We'll likely need your services later, after the ball.”

“Yes, miss.” Sabine bowed quickly and hurried out of the room. Leia swore she saw her looking furtively down the hall. She met a tall boy with short, blue-black hair and a stable boy's livery before hurrying off. 

Aunt Breha smiled. “Ahh, I believe our little Sabine has a suitor. Not a bad-looking boy, if a bit wiry.”

Leia shook her head as she removed a locked box from her trunk. “Didn't look like a romance to me. They were awfully serious for young people in love.” 

Breha chuckled. “Young people tend to be serious when they're in love.” She pulled the string of pearls and the dainty pink cameo across Leia's neck and added pearl and gold drop earrings. “There. Now you'll be the envy of every girl at the party.”

“I don't want to be the envy of anybody.” Leia rolled her eyes. “The only reason I'm going at all is to talk to Mon Mothma and find out more about the situation with the roads and the taxes.” A hint of a smile played on her lips. “And to see Luke, of course.”

“Of course.” Breha gathered her black lace fan and handed Leia her pink one. Leia swept a frilly white silk parasol into her hand. “We must discuss those bandits with Govenor Tarkin. I appreciate their aims, but not the way they're going about them.”

“I don't know.” Leia sighed. “The Crimson Hawk may have been a rogue and a scoundrel, but he never really hurt us. And at least the money will hopefully be going to the poor.”

Breha couldn't help her smirk. “I think you're quite smitten with him. I saw the way you looked at each other on the road. You had a real spark.”

“Me?” Leia tried to hide her blush. “He was the one who flirted first, and badly, I may add.”

Breha's smirk widened. “You didn't need to reciprocate, dear.”

“Please.” Leia stood abruptly. “There's no room in my life for scoundrels.”

Her father poked his head in. “I hope you're not talking about me, dear.” 

“Of course not, Bail!” Breha swept over to her husband. “We were talking about the Crimson Hawk. Leia and I were wondering what he looks like under that mask.”

“I'm sure he's just an ordinary fellow trying to make a living.” Bail gave his wife a small kiss. “Are my two favorite girls ready to go downstairs? Mon Mothma's guests are waiting for us.”

“Of course, Uncle.” Leia took her uncle's right arm, while Breha claimed her left. “We have the best-looking escort at the party.”

“In this old thing?” Bail wore a fine suit of soft cornflower blue, with a dove-gray cravat and high top hat. “Haven't worn this in years, but it's too warm for my good uniform.”

“You look fine. So much less stuffy than some of those old officers.” Breha kissed his cheek again. Bail blushed, prompting a giggle from Leia.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Mon Mothma's ballroom was small but elegant, wide half-circle windows offering sweeping views of the riverfront. The room was decorated to be in tune with the river and cliffs, with its soft tan and brick-red walls and looping trim and bottle-green chairs and lounges. A crystal chandelier sparkled in the vaulted ceiling. It was also filled to the brim with people in fancy gowns in shades of white, pink, and lavender and men in dark, sober suits or the gunmetal gray uniforms of Coruscant. 

Leia picked out Sir Benjamin Kenton right away. He was chatting with Mon Mothma and another woman. She was small, but attractive, with thick braided hair dyed blue at the ends. She was dressed in the soft woven caftans of the African lands. Her reddish, freckled skin was enhanced by gold circles and dots all along her temples and brow.

“Bail!” She waved her hand at the two. “There you are! I thought you'd never come.”

“Leia!” The woman in the caftan reached over and gave her a big hug. “I'm so glad all of you are finally here. I was hoping you'd come. All this coronation business will be a lot more interesting with you and your uncle to argue it every step of the way.”

Mon Mothma smiled. “I see you already know Lady Ashoka Tano, the best reporter the Theed Daily Star ever had, and an old and dear friend of mine. I've been arguing with her since she was a young woman apprenticed to Rex Fettson, the paper's top crime reporter.”

“I'm sure you'll do plenty of arguing yourself, Ahsoka.” Leia looked her over. “That outfit is amazing. It's so dramatic! Where did you buy it?”

“Went to visit family in Nigeria. They insisted I bring something back from the old country.” She turned to the Grand Duke and Duchess. “I'm glad to see both of you, too. We didn't know if you'd be able to come down, what with all the unrest in Naboo and Alderaan's neutral stance.”

Bail picked up three glasses of white wine from Cedric's tray as he passed. “We've seen some of that 'unrest' first hand. We encountered bandits on the way here, and we read about the destruction of the Erso Shipyards and the delays with the new airships.”

Ashoka's eyes roamed around the room, making sure no one heard what she said, before continuing in a softer voice. “There's a reason the launch of Vader's airship fleet has been delayed. They've had problems with 'accidents.' Machines breaking down or being blown up, equipment going missing, crystals being stolen. If it was just one or two incidents, it would mean nothing, but it's happening at least once a day now.”

“I've heard about these, too.” Sir Benjamin shook his head. “It is an experimental craft. Accidents are likely to happen.”

Mon Mothma narrowed her eyes. “I've told Vader he needs to increase factory safety. He says it would cost too much. They're spending millions of credits on this new process for curing khyber crystals as it is.”

Cedric rushed over, his narrow cheeks pale. “Senator Mothma, Governor Tarkin has arrived. I'm afraid he brought that terrible Baron Vader along. Shall I send them outside? I don't want Vader destroying any of the good china because someone said unkind things about his mother.”

“No, Cedric.” Mon Mothma sighed. “I invited them. I'm sure Tarkin will keep Vader in line.”

Leia couldn't help shuddering as the duo strode into the room, ignoring Cedric's nervous announcement. “Hello, Senator.” The Baron gave them a small bow. “Duke, Duchess.” He turned to Sir Benjamin. “Kenton. I'm surprised to see you here. I heard you fled to the Tatoonie badlands after the Jedi Guards were...disposed of.”

Sir Benjamin remained cool and calm, but Leia could see his color rising under the silvery beard. “I came back a few years ago to manage a local shipping company. We're delivering some of your khyber crystals tomorrow, in fact.”

Leia craned her neck, trying to look for her new friend. “Where are Mr. Skywalker and Mr. Solo? They said they'd be here.”

“Oh, they'll be around a bit later.” Sir Kenton shrugged. “They had a few last minute details to take care of at our workshop in Corellia Manor.”

“You're all invited to the official launching of our newest military marvel tomorrow, the Death Star, at the fair at Naberrie Palace.” Governor Tarkin barely nodded at Sir Kenton. “We would be honored if you and your employers would come. Solo Shipping did haul the lion's share of the crystals, despite all the inconveniences on the roads. We're holding a tour of the gondola, so the general public can see what their tax dollars have bought.”

“Inconveniences on the road!” Breha fluttered her fan. “We had a close encounter on the road with your Crimson Hawk. He was a vulgar young man. He even had the effrontery to seduce my niece in front of us!”

Leia rolled her eyes. “I don't know why you're worried. He did a very poor job of it.”

“There's something about that outlaw.” The Baron's mechanical voice sounded thoughtful. “The way he's able to anticipate our every move. We've twice been close to discovering his hide-out, only to learn it's been abandoned or they were never there to begin with. It's uncanny. Almost as if he was one of the Jedi Guards.”

Bail's face fell. “You forget, Baron, that I was friends with many of those guards, as well as Queen Padme before her untimely death.” The Baron let out a hiss when Padme was mentioned, but otherwise said nothing.

“So was I.” Mon Mothma's coppery brow darkened. “Queen Padme and Baron Skywalker were two of the most beloved rulers Naboo ever had. The Jedi were the Royal Family's personal guards and the guardians of the land.”

“The Jedi Guards.” Breha sighed romantically. “How I do miss them. They kept peace in the Alliance for a thousand generations.”

“Until the Naboo Royal Family was murdered, and they turned on the people.” Baron Vader's hiss was rather smug. “I myself aided in destroying many of them, before they could wreck further havoc.” 

Leia noticed that Ashoka had vanished, well before Vader's arrival. Sir Kenton was also long gone. She didn't see him in the hall he'd been looking towards. She sidled up to Vader, trying to block their exits. “I'm sure you're very proud of yourself.”

Baron Vader's hiss became more of a growl. “We think the Crimson Hawk is either a former Jedi Guard or is working with former guards to create anarchy. They've already rescued dozens of Wookie laborers from the camps in Sullust and Arkansis and have stolen thousands of dollars worth of gold and jewelry on the roads. We know there's at least two groups out there devoting themselves to overthrowing my master. Rest assured, my men and I will make sure that neither group succeeds.”

“How do you propose to do that?” Leia snapped. “You can't even find the Crimson Hawk!”

The Baron fixed his goggle-like eyes to stare at Leia, adjusting the sickly green right lens. “I'll be increasing both the rewards for the capture of the Crimson Hawk, the Golden Eagle, and both rebel groups, as well as the patrols on the road and in the factories. There will be no one to stop us this time!”

Even as the words left Vader's respirator, the brilliant lights from the gas lamps and chandelier suddenly flickered, then went out. Leia directed a smirk at Vader. “Except that.”

“I'm going to find out what's going on.” Mon Mothma made her way through the crowds to Cedric, who had joined several other, larger men in waiter's costumes at the gas lamps. Vader stomped after her, demanding that the lights be turned on immediately, or there would be hell to pay. 

Breha giggled as her husband pulled her closer to him. “Bail, please! I know we're married, but this is a bad place for that!”

That was when Leia heard gasps and squeals around the room. Light, leather-clad fingers deftly removed her pearl necklace and earrings. She felt someone's breath over her bare shoulder. “You're the most beautiful, most spirited woman I've ever met,” the breath whispered. “Meet me at the stone bench under the flowering cherry trees in the garden in twenty minutes.” Soft lips gently placed small kisses along her shoulder. “I'll tell you what I can there.”

“The Crimson Hawk.” Leia turned around, her parasol at the ready. “What...” 

But there was no one behind her. Breha let out a wail as a diminutive figure removed her black crystal beaded necklace with its turquoise drop pendant and her turquoise bracelets and combs. Leia swore she heard the thief say “I'm sorry, Duchess. Really, I am. I don't mean to hurt you, but we need this money.” Hands the size of beef steaks yanked off Ahsoka's beaded necklaces and wide gold hoop earrings.

A tall man with brownish-red hair sticking out of his hood tugged at Golden Eagle's yellow sleeve. “Come on, kid. We have to catch up with the others, before Tarkin figures out what's going on.”

The Baron was way ahead of him. Leia noticed six men in the white and black uniforms of the Coruscant Army making their way through the room carrying candles. At least twenty more surrounded the perimeter. Leia poked several men in the rear, pushing them out of the way. 

“Find them!” Vader demanded. “Find them and bring them to me at once! They'll be taken to Plageius Square and hung!”

The lights came back on...just in time for Leia to hear a strange sound, like a flash of light, and hear soldiers scream as a bright blue light sizzled through them. The Golden Eagle's weapon was glowing with an unearthly blue fire. A wire on his back was attached to a pack covered in bubbling cobalt tubes. 

The Crimson Hawk was also engaged in a duel, his ordinary metal dueling sword silvery against the moonlight. It was unmistakably them. They wore the black vests and red and gold blouses she'd seen them in earlier, their faces still covered by masks and goggles. 

“What do you think you're doing?” The Hawk watched in shock as Leia hurried up to them, brandishing her parasol. 

“Somebody has to save your skins!” She brought the steel shaft down on a soldier's shoulder, enough to stun him. Another soldier got jabbed hard in the side. “Get out of here, you two!”

“Hawk!” Vader brandished a heavy vase. “You and that apprentice of yours will hang before the night is over!”

“The night ain't over yet, Vader! I'll see you in hell!” He turned to Leia as the ladies gasped at the language. “See you in ten, Your Worship?” 

She rolled her eyes at his smirk. “Keep talking like that, and you'll never see me again.”

“I doubt that.” He kissed her hand. The Golden Eagle blew a kiss to one of the men running in the opposite direction. Breha, Ahsoka, and Bail joined Leia as the Hawk tossed a steel rope onto a tree limb. They swung off the balcony before the soldiers could hurry over with their muskets.

Tarkin glared at Leia. “Your Grace, you saw those men. You aided them. You were an obstruction to justice!”

“I did no such thing.” Leia glared at him. “I wanted my pearl necklace back. That belonged to my mother.” She pulled out her fan. “My goodness, isn't it hot in here? I must go outside for a bit of air. Would you excuse me?” She ducked away from Tarkin before he had the chance to ask her any more questions.

Fortunately, she managed to slip into the garden without further comment. The soldiers barely noticed her. They were too busy looking for two men in gold and red blouses and black vests. 

The gardens seemed to go on forever, winding around Chalindria Court like a grand maze. The flowering cherry trees were well away from the house, closer to the cliffside, with a fine view of the river and the surrounding homes. The stone bench was nestled under the largest of the trees, over a bed of fuzzy green moss. 

She'd only been there a few minutes when she heard rustling leaves. Her eyes flew upward...just in time to see a red and black blur tumble head-first from the branches. “What an entrance!” Leia knelt beside him, ignoring the dirt stains she was getting on her white gown. “Are you all right?”

“Sure.” He dusted off his tight black trousers with the red stripes. “I've made worse entrances.” 

Leia looked over her shoulder. “First of all, I want my necklace back. Second, you need to get out of here. They're probably combing the gardens for you. If they catch you with me...”

The moonlight illuminated the string of pearls with the cameo on the end that dangled in his hands. “Is this what you were askin' about?” His voice had a vaguely Irish lilt that sounded exceedingly fake. “I don't mind givin' it back. We got plenty of other treasures tonight.”

He rubbed her hand, much as he had earlier that day. “Why are you doing this? Who are you?”

“I'm no one. All I'm doin' is helpin' a friend.” 

“Why did you want to see me again?” Leia frowned. “I'm the enemy. I know you're a thief, taking money from nobles. Isn't there another way to help out?”

“The money has a purpose.” He stroked her cheek. “Most of it goes to releasing Wookie slave laborer from the labor camps. The rest goes into a secret project of mine.”

“Secret project?” Leia raised her eyebrow. “Vader's working on a 'secret project,' too. Do you know anything about that?”

“Aye, lass, some. We keep an ear open when we're in town. We have connections.” He smirked. “Vader intends those khyber crystals for something big. There's more to that airship of his than transporting troops.”

“Khyber crystals...” The young duchess gave him a smirk of her own. “You'd seem to know something about those. The Golden Eagle's sword was made of khyber. The way it glowed...”

“Right again, lass. Me boys n' the Eagle n' I have been workin' on a process that, if heated long enough, will allow them to be used to cut any surface, run any steam-powered machine.” He grinned. “Including an airship. It would cut delivery times in half and be able to carry people to any destination, even across the sea, to South America or the US.”

“Vader has his own airship,” Leia went on. “We know it's not going to befor pleasure cruises, that's for sure.”

“Aye, lass, there's the rub. We don't know what it is for yet.” He stroked her cheek. “We have a good idea, though, especially after the destruction of the Erso Shipyards. No regular gunpowder could cause so much damage so quickly.”

“And what then?” She wished she could touch his cheek, but it was covered by the thick black mask. All she could see were his moist pink lips, a scar slashing underneath. She'd seen that scar somewhere before, she knew. “You could get killed, or end up in jail.”

“That's only if they catch us, sweetheart.” He gently pulled her closer. “Don't you worry your smart head about us. We know every nook and cranny and back alley in Naboo. Vader will never find us.” He added, almost to himself, “We'll be leaving soon, anyway.”

Their heads were almost touching. “I'll never see you again,” she added before thinking. 

“Aww.” The smirk returned. “You're fallin' for me, sweetheart.” 

“No, I'm not. I'm...” He pulled her into a kiss before she had the chance to finish. He tasted...surprisingly sweet, like ripe strawberries, freshly picked on a sunny day. His skin smelled of sweat and oil and chemicals.

Even as they pulled away, she heard the Baron and his men crashing through the garden. “Crimson Hawk...” Her dark eyes opened to an empty stone bench. Only moonlight was there now, illuminating where the Hawk had sat before. The leaves above her rustled, and she heard faint cursing, just as Vader and his men hurried by her.

“Duchess,” the Baron snapped, “what are you doing out here? All guests were told to remain in the ballroom until the miscreants were found and arrested.”

“We were?” Leia opened her fan, flapping it hard and fluttering her eyes. “It was so beastly hot in that ballroom, I simply had to get a breath of fresh air. Anyway, what are you doing here?” She gave him her sweetest smile. “Perhaps you're meeting a beautiful woman for a romantic rendezvous?” 

“Several reliable witnesses told us they saw you sneaking about with papers in your bosom, talking to a man in a hood.” Vader crossed his arms. “There's some truth to this. I can sense it. You're blushing, Your Grace.”

“I am?” She only fanned herself harder. “It is rather warm tonight.”

Vader tilted his one round lens towards her, looking like a menacing pirate in a round patch. “We distinctly heard a man's voice.”

“That was me. I do very good male voice impressions.” She stood, shaking off her dress. “Really, gentlemen, all this interrogation is completely unnecessary. I shall complain to my uncle about it when we return to the main house.”

Vader ignored her complaints. “Men, search the area. Don't rest until you've found those masked menaces and brought them to me.” He turned on his heel to Leia. “You're hiding something, Your Grace. I will find out what it is. I have my ways.”

“I've heard of your 'ways.'” Leia fluttered her fan. “Torture, murder, and worse! I'm getting hotter just thinking about it. I'm going back towards the main house. Perhaps,” she tapped him on the shoulder with her fan, “there will be cooler heads there.”

The moment Vader turned his back and went after his men, Leia hurried to the tree. She scanned the branches for any sign of the Crimson Hawk, but her view was obscured by pink flowers rendered a soft lavender in the moonlight. The leaves no longer rustled. 

She was about to turn back when she stepped on something hard. A golden chain was caught on her heel. Her fingers twined around a man's gold chain, an intricately-carved wooden eagle pendant dangling on the end. The clasp of the chain was broken. The girl suspected it had fallen from the Crimson Hawk's neck when he'd gone back into the tree. She saw it under his vest when they...

Leia shoved it into her breasts. She couldn't let Baron Vader find it. It would be evidence of the Crimson Hawk's presence here.

The young duchess gently touched her lips and blushed all over again. The glow she felt when the Hawk kissed her was evidence enough.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

For the next few hours, Leia tried to have a good time. Her aunt fluttered around her when she got back like she'd been assaulted. “Aunt Breha, I'm fine.” She held out her necklace. “The thieves must have dropped this. I found it out by the lily garden, near the front entrance.” She made sure to give a location that was as far away from the cherry trees as possible.

Henry and Luke finally appeared around the same time she returned to the ball. Both wore simple suits, Henry's white and black with a red blouse, Luke's white with a yellow blouse. Henry leaned heavily on the tallest, hairiest man Leia had ever seen. His thick arms and legs strained the fabric of the tight black and white valet's uniform. “Duchess Organa,” Luke said, “this is Henry's valet, driver, and manservant, Charles Bacca. Charles, this is Duchess Leia Organa of Alderaan.”

Henry patted Charles' back. “He's also my mechanic, chief bottle washer, first mate, and best friend. We've known each other for years, ever since my days at sea.”

“And proud of it,” he might have said. It was hard to understand him, with his thick native accent. “I've known Henry since he saved me from slavers when he was in the Coruscant Navy.” He nodded at the waiters serving drinks and hors d'overs. “I'll get you settled down here, then see if I can find something for myself.” 

Henry nodded. “See if you can grab some for me, too.” 

Luke smiled. “I'm going to find my friend Wedge. You met him earlier, Leia. He doubles as a waiter and house boy for Senator Mothma and for us when the yacht isn't in use.” Luke's blush and his starry eyes gave him away. “We sort of...we're very good friends.” The dreamy look on the boy's face made Leia suspect they were a lot more than “just friends.”

Charles gently lowered his crippled employer onto a plum-colored velvet bench by the window. “Here ye go, Han.” He placed a pillow behind his back. “Nice n' comfy. I'm gonna go see if I can find us some vittles.” He bowed for Leia, towering over her even when bent over. “Nice to meet you, miss. Do you want anything to eat?”

Leia shook her head. “Nothing for me, thank you.” She settled down on the bench next to Henry as Luke went off to talk to several young men in the crowd. “Look,” she began, “I'm sorry we got off on the wrong foot this afternoon. My aunt should have been more considerate.”

“That's all right, Your Worship.” He smiled at her. It was a genuine smile, and it lit up his whole face. “What brings your family to Alderaan? Checking out the new airships?”

Leia shook her head. “No, we're just here for the Diamond Jubilee events and coronation.”

“Ah.” Henry took what appeared to be champagne from a waiter as they passed him. He handed one glass to Leia and sipped the other. Leia couldn't help noticing that his black bow tie was askew under white jacket and red shirt and his face was red with perspiration. The gold-rimmed glasses nearly hung off his nose and looked like they'd been pushed on hastily. He wiped his brow. “It's too damn hot for May. I need to start putting more ventilation in my workshop.”

“Is that why you were late?” Leia sipped her champagne. It tickled her nose as it passed through her red lips. “What are you working on?”

“A method to break down khyber crystals so they can be melted and heated. The resulting liquid boils more rapidly than water. Engines powered by khyber crystals would run at least six times faster than those that run on coal or wood.” He pulled out a pencil from his pocket and started sketching blueprints on his damask napkin. 

“When concentrated, they can cut through any kind of solid matter. Old Man Kenton was a Jedi. He says that's how they made their electrical swords, the ones that could cut through anything.” He grinned. “The steam is also light enough to possibly power airships, stronger ones than Vader's.”

Leia raised an eyebrow. “I've heard people talk about airships in Alderaan. Vehicles that can fly like balloons. I've seen small balloons for two or three people, but not the larger ones.” She leaned her chin on her hand. “I'd like to fly in one someday. I've always wanted to see the world like a bird does.”

Henry sipped his champagne. “When we finish the Falcon, you'll be one of the first people who get to ride it. I'm hoping to make a whole fleet like her. She'll cut shipping times in half.”

“Uncle Bail's spoken about the Jedi, but I've never met a real one.” The young duchess leaned further over the blueprints. “He says they had special abilities. They could read minds, lift objects by just thinking about them, know automatically if someone was lying or if they wanted to kill them.”

Henry snorted. “I told Ol' Kenton that's called luck. It's no match for a pistol or a good, strong knife by your side.”

Mon Mothma joined them, sipping champagne. “Hello, Mr. Solo. Didn't expect to see you here. I know how you feel about parties.”

“I wanted to apologize to Duchess Organa for my temper earlier.” He gave her his most charming smile. “And I hadn't seen you in a while. Luke's been pushing me to get out more. I've been...busy...with work.”

“Are you going to attend the Lothal Art Exhibition on the grounds of Nabarrie Palace tomorrow?” The older red-headed woman put the glass back down on a passing tray. “I'm hoping to find some new artwork for the hallway in the west wing myself.”

“Yeah, I'm going.” Henry shrugged. “Charles, our handyman Rusty, and I have a booth demonstrating our new steam engines and the blueprints for the Falcon. Luke's gonna be involved in the fencin' exhibition. He n' Ol' Kenton have been training for weeks.”

“I would love to go to the Exhibition.” Leia smiled. “I remember it from when I was younger. They always have woodcarvers and painters and fencers and riflemen showing off their skills, and there's the exhibition hall. Some of these people do amazing work.”

“It really is wonderful. Last year, Ahsoka and I bought three lovely paintings for the day parlor and some beautiful wood carvings to send to her family in Nigeria.” Leia noticed that Mon Mothma's smile didn't quite reach her eyes. “Speaking of Ahsoka, you might want to come and visit us in the day parlor after the party's over. We have...something we need to discuss.”

“All right.” She turned to Henry as Mon Mothma went off to chat with her aunt and uncle. “You know, Henry, you two missed all the excitement. We had a visit from the Crimson Hawk and his men.”

“I know.” Leia raised an eyebrow as he gulped his champagne rather quickly. “Cedric told us the moment we arrived. Ol' Goldenrod was never good at keeping his mouth shut.” The tall businessman shook his head. “That fool's gonna get himself killed one of these days, pulling stunts like that.”

“I agree that the balcony incident probably wasn't the best way to leave.” Leia put the empty wine glass on a side table. “He says he's giving the money to the peasants. I heard he's rescued people in trouble, too. What he's doing is crazy and illegal, but at least it's something.”

“So what is that going to get him?” Henry leaned further over her, waving his hand dismissively. “A one-way ticket to a firing squad. I doubt he's any more noble than I am. What good will it do him or the people of this country if he gets caught?”

Leia raised her chin. “How would you know what the Crimson Hawk's like?”

Her companion shrugged. “We're have a lot in common. We're both profiting off of the fat cats and looking out for number one, and we take care of our own.”

“Would that 'own' include Luke?”

“Charles, the old man, and the kid are the closest thing I have to family.” Henry played with the stem of his glass. “I took them in when they didn't have anywhere else to go after the kid's family was killed.”

Leia nodded. “I can understand that. My aunt and uncle are the only family I have.”

Henry gave her that little smile and held up his nearly empty glass. “Here's to family, then.”

“Here's to the people we love.” Leia clinked glasses with him as Luke arrived, his gentle, tanned face flushed. Leia could see Wedge Antilles off to one side, his own uniform jacket on backwards, buttoning his trousers. Luke waved to him, his face dreamy. Wedge waved back. The black-haired captain's grin told Leia everything she needed to know about where Luke had gone to.

A handsome young blond man in the stiff gray uniform of a Coruscant military officer bowed before Leia as Luke sat down between her and Han. “I must say, you are the fairest flower at this entire gathering. May I have the honor of requesting this dance?”

Leia gave him a wan smile. “Certainly.” He took her slender hand and whisked her off into the waltz sweeping around the ballroom.

Luke couldn't help noticing the look of longing in Henry's hazel eyes. “What do you think of her, Han?”

“I'm tryin' not to, kid.” Henry gave Luke the famous smirk. “I don't know. You think a duchess and a guy like me...” 

Luke gave him a watery grin back. “No.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Leia crept across the halls. It was well past midnight. The party was over. Most of the guests had gone home. Henry, Charles, and a still-distraught Luke had left over two hours before, Henry promising to see them them at Nabarrie Palace the next day. 

As she got closer, she heard voices in the day parlor. To her surprise, several people were still awake. “Hello, Lelita.” Her uncle sat in the big wing chair by the fireplace. “Glad you finally got away.”

“Leia.” Mon Mothma's green eyes were deadly serious. No trace of the smiling woman in the blue gown at the party remained. “What we're about to tell you is in strict confidence. It cannot go outside this room.”

Leia sat down, frowning. “This is about the rebels, isn't it?” She turned to her uncle. “Is that why we're here? I wondered why you took such an interest in the coronation. You hate Palpatine and everything he stands for.”

“Leia,” Mon Mothma continued, “what do you know about the destruction of the Erso Shipyards and the thefts at the Khyber Crystal factories?”

“Only what was in the papers.” Leia raised her eyebrow. “Does this have anything to do with the rebels in Coruscant and Naboo?”

“It has everything to do with it.” As Leia looked around, she recognized other people, many of them quite prominent in Coruscant society, others servants or people in work uniforms. “Welcome to the Rebel Society. We're here to stop Palpatine from committing further atrocities in Naboo and around the Alliance.”

“Good.” Leia sat up straighter. “I want to help.”

“I knew you would, Lelita.” Bail sat next to her. “That's the real reason we're here.”

Ahsoka was perched on a couch to her right. “It was our people who stole Baron Vader's blueprints, Leia.”

Leia frowned. “And most of them died.” She looked up at Ashoka. “What happened to them?”

“Destroyed.” Mon Mothma's voice was soft. “The remains of four of the six were found among what very little was left of the Erso Shipyards in Scarif City.” Her eyes roamed to Bail. “They not only killed civilians, but their own people. General Orson Krennic was one of their top military advisers. Galen Erso was a local scientist and shipbuilder who was forced to work for them several years ago. He designed many of the Naboo Empire's fastest and strongest war ships as well as the Death Star Airships.”

“We have to find out more about the planned airship fleet. I don't think the Death Star Airship Line is merely for transporting soldiers across the sea.” Mon Mothma turned to Bail. “I'm asking you to do something very risky, Bail.”

“I'll do it.” Leia spoke up before her father could. “I'll get the plans.”

Mon Mothma's lips were a thin line. “Are you sure you can do this, Leia? You'll have to insinuate yourself into Naboo society. It may be dangerous.”

“I'm a woman, and a socialite.” Leia held her parasol tightly. “People look at me and don't think twice. I'm in the perfect position. I can listen in without attracting too much attention.” 

“I agree.” Ahsoka nodded. “Leia's small, but she's tough. I know she can take care of herself.” 

Her uncle sat down next to her. “Leia, you know what this means. Vader is a dangerous...er, person. Or whatever he is now. Trials are rare in this country, and usually swift.”

“Uncle Bail, I want to help.” Leia took his hand. “I want to make a difference.” She gave him a small grin. “I was planning on doing some investigating of my own anyway. Vader has to be stopped, before anything else goes up like Scarif did.”

“Very well.” Mon Mothma waved her hand at the river glistening in the moonlight outside her window. “Lothal will be a wonderful place to start. Tarkin gave us the perfect in with the ship demonstration. You'll know Rebel Society members by the words 'May the Force Be With You.' The old Jedi saying.”

Leia nodded. “I won't fail you. I've done some similar work for Uncle, listening at parties and conversations.”

Breha took her niece's hand. “Just be careful, dear.”

Her niece hugged her. “I will, Aunt. Don't worry.”

Mon Mothma nodded. “Let's all get some rest. We have a big day ahead of us.”

Bail accompanied his wife and niece to their rooms. “So much for our quiet little vacation and discussion about the road situation.”

“I'd rather have the excitement.” Leia's dark eyes happened to slide to the window. She could see a cylindrical brick building through the window, its ivy-covered brick just barely peeping out through the trees. The lights were on in the windows. “That must be the workshop Luke told me about.” She pointed a pale, slender finger at the sight. “They seem to be up awfully late.”

“I'm sure Henry is just working on his new invention.” Bail smiled. “He told me about it at the party. Sounds rather ingenious. I'd rather have the khyber crystals cured the old-fashioned way myself. I heard they could be a bit...unstable...when not done by hand.”

“I'm sure we'll hear about it when we meet them tomorrow.” Leia sighed. “I hope we do see them. I did like dancing with Luke tonight, and I had a nice conversation with Henry. We only argued two or three times.”

Breha put an arm around her niece. “Did any of them seem...interested?”

“Auntie!” Leia sighed. “It's only been a day. Give it time.”

“That's right, Breha. The girl has important work to do. We're going to be here all summer.” He put his arms around the two women who meant the most to him. “We have all the time in the world.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Lothal Arts Festival and Exhibition is all fun and games...until the Crimson Hawk puts in an appearance, and the Death Star Airship seems to go up in smoke. Meanwhile, Leia meets her contacts and more members of Mon Mothma's household.

They met at the dock where they'd arrived early the next morning. Leia wore her favorite white day dress with the pink daisy print and the bow in back and the cunning white sunhat with the pink and white daisies. She made sure her pink and white steel-shafted parasol was at the ready. Mon Mothma and her aunt wore suits in shades of pale gray and blue. Her uncle settled for his lightest dove-gray suit and bowler hat. Cedric still sported his gold uniform.

“Couldn't we take the train to Lothal?” Cedric sniffled into a well-worn piece of linen. “I get terribly seasick, and it's so windy on the waters.”

Senator Mothma frowned. “The trains are already full with travelers going to the Artists Festival. Those who can afford them, that is. Most trains are private affairs nowadays. Peasants and workers usually travel by boat or coach.” 

There was a very different boat waiting for them at the pier when they arrived. “I'm afraid there's been a change of vehicles.” Mon Mothma lead them to the gangplank of a slightly older yacht than the one they'd ridden on yesterday. “Captain Antilles called out with the flu. I hired a private vessel to take us to Lothal.”

The vessel was smaller than the one that took them to Naboo and a bit older, faster but with fewer amenities. Leia was surprised to see a woman in the orange and white Naboo uniform make her way to the gangplank. She was followed by a handsome man with brown hair pulled back into a bun and a rakish grin, a tall Lascar with a turban and a bushy gray beard, and a short, elderly pug-nosed man whose orange and white uniform seemed cobbled together from several older ones that barely fit.

“Captain Syndulla, at your service, senator.” She was a few years older than Leia. Her long, thick black braids fell to her hips, dyed green at their ends. Emerald-green eyes glittered. Dark skin was dotted with tiny cocoa-colored freckles. “This is my crew. Welcome to the Ghost.”

“You have an excellent reputation, Captain.” The Lascar helped them all aboard. He had a rough, firm arm. Leia was nearly knocked off her feet. “We'll require your services for the return trip as well.”

“Thank you, Senator.” Captain Syndulla gave her a small bow...but Leia couldn't help notice her lean over Mon Mothma and whisper something in her ear. Mon Mothma just gave her a small nod before moving on.

The ride to Lothal was lovely. It was a perfect, sunny day, bright and breezy. Leia spent the time with her aunt and Mon Mothma, pointing out the fine old homes that sprawled on the river like cats napping in the sun, as ferries, fishing boats, and other yachts sailed by. She sighed. “It's so beautiful here. How could anyone want to spoil it with factories and warehouses and smokestacks? It would hurt the fishing, drive people out of their homes, and ruin the view.”

“I agree.” Mon Mothma opened her pale yellow parasol. “But you have to remember, most of the country can't afford homes like mine and the others on the shore. People need jobs. I'm afraid those homes are becoming a bit old-fashioned in the industrial age.”

Lothal was a charming old village. The bright-painted half-timbered houses were almost leaning into the water, their thatched or wooden roofs pushing against the baby blue sky. “Our people are mostly farmers or fisher folk,” Captain Syndulla explained as they pulled into the small harbor. “We're also very popular with artists, writers, and other romantic, creative types, due to our location on the river.”

The Captain threw anchor in Lothal's tiny harbor. Leia mostly saw a few small fishing boats and yachts like theirs nestled amid the weathered wooden piers. “There used to be so many more.” The gray-bearded Lascar dropped the heavy metal anchor as easily as a woman would drop a handkerchief. “This whole harbor used to be so thick with boats, you could walk from one to another and never get your feet wet.” 

“What happened?” Leia frowned as the handsome man with the brown bun and goatee helped her and her aunt down the gangplank.

“Baron Vader increased regulations after the Coruscant Empire invaded Naboo.” Captain Sylendulla followed them. “Everything in Naboo – all fish, game, and crops – are now the property of Baron Vader and Prime Minister Palpatine. Many fisherman were recruited to work in the factories as well.”

A simple but elegant carriage drove up to them, lead by two dappled grays. The tall boy with the short blue-black hair Leia saw with Sabine last night was driving. “Hello, Ezra!” Mon Mothma waved up at him. “I'm glad you were able to get here on time.”

“I have relatives in Lothal, Miss Senator.” The boy gave them a rakish grin. “I wouldn't miss this for the world.”

Mon Mothma nodded at him as the Captain's crew helped them into the carriage. “Everyone, this is Ezra, my best driver and stable boy.”

Captain Sylendulla grinned. “And my adopted son. You be good, Ezra. Don't eat every single honey cake you come across at the fair. Mind your manners, and help the ladies. Don't get caught up in all those games of chance. I want you to have at least two or three credits of your last paycheck left after today.” 

Ezra sighed, rolling his eyes in the time-worn tradition of young people whose parents had just given them eight hundred orders they'd heard too many times. “Yes, Hera, I'll be a good boy.”

The young man navigated them past seedy waterfront fish markets and taverns to the newly-built cobblestone streets lined with fine row houses and gilt-trimmed mansions. As they continued down Naboo Street, the houses were gradually replaced by shops and tiny cafes with wrought-iron tables busy with people in fine white and pastel summer outfits enjoying cakes, sandwiches, and iced coffee.

As they wound their way through town, the buildings eventually became more run-down and shabby. They finally gave way to small, worn houses with dirty thatch roofs and peeling shutters. Here, the people went about their daily business slowly. Trash lined the streets, and the air reeked of soot, sour water, and unwashed bodies. Their clothing was threadbare, and many children were shoeless. There were people of all nationalities, all colors. Leia recognized quite a few as Charles' native Kashyakkians. 

“Where are we?” Leia sneezed. “This is horrible! Look at all these poor people.” She indicated a ragged group of children playing in a small patch of grass strewn with rusted pipes and broken bottles. “Those children should be playing in a proper park, not on the streets. And they're so thin!”

“This is the Old City, Your Grace.” Ezra's voice was steady, but there was an undercurrent of anger. “I was one of those kids. My parents worked for a radical newspaper. They were caught and executed for speaking out. I ended up on the street, stealing food and living under the old newspaper office, until the day I met Hera and Kanan. Hera took me in, got Senator Mothma to give me a job. Kanan taught me how to drive and to run a ship.”

“You're one of the lucky ones, my boy.” Breha smiled warmly. “I wish every one of those poor urchins could have a story that ended as happily as yours.”

Ezra gave her a gentle smile of his own. “I know, Your Grace. I miss my parents every day, but Hera and Kanan have been good to me. I'm hoping I'll make enough money to enter school next year. I want to start up a newspaper of my own someday.”

Cedric threw a handkerchief over his nose. “Could we please move on? I'm afraid my nostrils are much too delicate for such a terrible place. Besides, this is hardly worthy of people of finer quality.”

Ezra shrugged, but Leia could see his smirk. “Ok, sir. Just thought they'd want to see the town.”

“Next time Ezra, please take us through another route.” Senator Mothma sighed. “I want to do something to help the poor too, but it can be dangerous here. Crime runs rampant in this part of town, and they're a lot nastier than the Crimson Hawk and his men. People have and do get killed.”

“Oh, dear!” Cedric's nervous British accent rose to a whine. “Please get us out of here as quickly as you can! I don't want to be a statistic!”

“I'm sure we'll be fine, as long as we stay in the carriage.” Breha waved her fan, trying to distill the rising heat. “I do wish the Festival was closer to the town.”

“The Baron moved it out to the Nabarrie Palace grounds to show off his new toy.” Mon Mothma shook her head. “I wish he wasn't so secretive about what this airship actually did besides fly.”

“It's flying!” Leia grinned. “Isn't that enough? I may hate Vader, but I'm looking forward to this tour. I can't wait to see a real airship close-up. Maybe we'll even get to go for a ride.” She sighed dreamily. “Wouldn't that be wonderful? To see the Alliance like a bird does, hovering among the clouds...”

Cedric groaned. “I don't like that idea. There's so many things that can go wrong. If men were meant to fly, they'd have been born with wings.”

Bail chuckled. “I'm sure it'll be fine, Cedric.” He put an arm around his daughter. “I'm looking forward to it too, Lelita.”

“So am I.” Breha squeezed her daughter's hand. “It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see progress in action.”

Though the houses on the edge of Lothal were still very old, most of them were in far better shape than those in the Old Town. They gave way to extravagant mansions and fine shops and restaurants, decorated in the baroque and Colonial style of a century before. Ezra finally stopped them at what appeared to be a green park bordered by a stone and iron gate. Leia could see the bustle and the people strolling inside, even as he parked their carriage among others on the dirt road. “Here you go, everyone Nabarrie Palace and grounds.”

Leia gasped as they drove through the gate and down the winding paths, barely listening to Cedric rambling about the history of the building. Nabarrie Palace was three times the size of Aldra Castle at home. “Like Chalindria Court,” the lanky blond began “it started as a medieval fortification, but expanded to fit the needs of the current rulers. While the central portion bears a closer resemblance to the castles of old, with turrets and towers, the wings are more recent. Their grand classical design are based after Versailles and other elaborate homes for royalty in France and Austria.” The carts pulled into a dusty patch of grounds intended as a parking area for carriages.

“It's lovely!” Trees awash with pale pink, green, and lavender blossoms draped over booths made from plywood and paper as they strolled along the dusty cobblestone paths. “Look at these!” Leia lifted a small hawk, carved in reddish wood and painted scarlet and black, from one seller. “It's so lifelike!”

“That's our own Crimson Hawk, miss.” The seller, was a stocky fellow in a slightly dirty white shirt and dark trousers, a blue apron tied around his waist. He had thinning gray hair and bright, large blue eyes. The top of his head barely came to her waist, and Leia was not a tall woman. “He and the Golden Eagle are the protectors of Naboo. When the people of Naboo are threatened by invaders, they swoop down from the skies and use their special magic to drive the invaders away.”

“Ah, yes.” Bail picked up another, larger carving. An eagle, painted in shades of soft gold, was poised in flight. Its eyes were made from two brilliant cerulean crystals. “I know this story. The Hawk and the Eagle were shape-shifters. They could become anything or anyone, look like anything. The Hawk could become the Eagle, and vise versa. They shot beams of light from their eyes and wings that destroyed their enemies and saved the good and just.”

“The Crimson Hawk...” Leia looked up from admiring the hawk's realistic-looking wings. “Do you know anything about the Crimson Hawk, the bandit who's been stealing from nobles on the roads?”

Breha nodded, waving her fan. “He stole from us just yesterday! Imagine the cheek of him!”

The man gave them a gap-toothed grin. “That's our national hero you're talkin' about. Every true Naboo native loves him. He only robs nobles from Coruscant, and he's been known to give money to widows and orphans, and to charities that aid the poor and homeless. He's even rescued Wookie slave laborers from Kashyakk.” He retied his apron. “The nobles secretly love him, too. They want to know who he really is.”

Leia turned the Hawk over in her hand. “How much is it?”

He looked up at Leia with a beady stare. “For the most beautiful lass in all of Naboo, a mere ten credits.”

“I'll take it.” She handed him the money and put the hawk in her purse.

“Leia,” her aunt scolded, “that's too high for something so small.”

“But it's hand-crafted!” She pulled out her fan and waved it across her face. “It's so beastly hot today! I think I'll go see if I can get a lemonade at the drinks booth.”

“All right.” Breha frowned. “Don't wander far, dear, and don't talk to strangers. You don't know the territory.”

She laughed, leaning over and giving her aunt a fond kiss. “I'll be fine, Aunt Breha.”

“I'll go with her.” Bail smiled. “I'd like a lemonade myself.”

“Perhaps I'd best stay with the women...” Cedric began as the group began to splinter in opposite directions. “How rude! They forgot about me.”

“That's not hard to do.” The man pulled down shades and turned the sign on his booth to “closed,” then started to pack up his wares. “Come on, old friend. We have work to do.”

“We?” Cedric's eyes widened. “What do you mean 'we,' Rusty? I'm not getting involved in any more of your adventures!”

“Promised the boss I'd help him with a few...things...today.” Rusty headed for a large, rickety old cart in the back of the parking grounds. Cedric peered in, eyeing the explosives and the coppery machine belching smoke tied down in the back. “Said he'd need a distraction.”

“Distraction for what?” Cedric's eyes widened. “If we're doing something illegal...”

“Let's just say we're helping people who need it.” Rusty yanked him onto the driver's seat, then grabbed the reigns. “Hold on, golden boy.”

“Why? What are you...aack!” The carriage took off so quickly, Cedric was nearly flung into the cab with the copper instrument. He barely managed to get hold of the side, clutching his good straw hat to his head. “Where are you taking me, you overweight blob of grease?”

“The Industrial Arts field, across from the airship.” He threw a camera into Cedric's hands, one much smaller than typical. “Can you handle this?”

Cedric stuck his nose in the air. “I've taken photos for Senator Mothma at several government meetings in Theed Town. I took over the job when poor Allan Kayton died.” Cedric sighed. “He wasn't always the most pleasant person, but even he didn't deserve to be burned to a crisp at the Erso Shipyards. I told him he shouldn't have taken that job with the military.”

“He didn't.” Rusty pulled into the fields where the carriages were parked. “He was working for some group of rebels. They found out something big. That's why Vader burned the shipyards. We just need to figure out what.” He shrugged. “After we get those Wookie slaves off the Death Star.”

“We? What do you mean 'we?'” Cedric pointed at himself. “I'm not going on any more of your adventures!”

“You already are.” He climbed into the back of the carriage. “Help me get this out?”

Cedric groaned. “If we're arrested for this, it's all your fault!”

The shorter man shrugged. “You only get arrested if you're caught.” A wide grin spread across his scruffy face. “We ain't been caught yet.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The fair was split into four areas. Her aunt and Mon Mothma followed the women to the Home and Domestic Arts, where women displayed home-spun cloth and beautiful, hand-made quilts, dresses, and tapestries. Light-weight shawls and scarves hung off chairs and on splintery wooden racks. A food area showed off booths piled high with cakes, candies, tarts, fruit, spices, nuts, jams, jellies, and pickles. She barely looked at the oil and watercolor portraits and still lifes hanging in the Art Gallery, or the artists who cut silhouettes or sculpted busts for a fee.

No, there was only one area she wanted to see. Vader would be here, she knew. Her father was already there when she arrived at the Industrial Arts area. Indeed, that was where most people seemed to be heading. She poked and prodded her way through the crowds, occasionally applying the tip of her parasol to slow rears. 

The balloon loomed over the horizon. It was impossible not to notice it. The gondola of the airship looked like an ordinary steamship...if that steamship were made of shiny dark steel, with a sharp prow that heavily resembled the barrel of a pistol, and fins on either side that gave it the look of a floating shark. The balloon itself was magnificent, held with curling bronze trim. The ship was more like the grand vessel of a queen, with its wide observation deck, sparkling stained-glass roof, many windows, and star-shaped trim. The black and red paint stood out in stark relief against the harsh silver of the metallic surface. It was flanked at the end by an old stone fortress that was now being used as offices and a control tower.

There were booths clustered around the air field, many showing off the latest in steam or oil-generated engines, tools, replica ships and automobiles, and even a few smaller airships and balloons. Leia noticed many tall, muscular men in dirty shirts, suspenders, and trousers checking the pegs that held the ship down, polishing the 

“Leia!” Luke hurried over, waving his gloved hand. He looked like a pirate from the history books, in his flowing white and yellow blouse, tight tan trousers, and high nut-brown boots, a wide-brimmed tan hat with a dashing yellow feather perched on his head. “I'm so glad you're here!” He hugged her. “Henry brought a mock-up of the engine from the Falcon for display. He's over by his booth now with Charles.”

She grinned at him. “What are you doing, hitting the high seas to loot a few ships?”

Luke blushed. “Uh, no. This is my costume for the fencing exhibition. It's at the Park Stage across the path from the airship.” He waved at a large, flat wooden stage covered by a thin roof and flanked by dozens of benches. Large groups of people were just starting to congregate there. “I have to get over there. Why don't you see Henry at the engine? He'll probably be coming over to watch Ben and me, anyway.”

Leia nodded. “All right.” She gave him a small kiss. “Good luck, Luke!”

Luke's gentle face turned the color of the Crimson Hawk's blouse. “Thanks!”

Bail was already there when she arrived. Charles and Henry were fussing around what looked to Leia like an assemblage of pipes and wires. Both wore rolled-up white blouses splotched with grease, dark trousers, and aprons. Henry also had a black vest and his ever-present round spectacles, which were nearly falling off his nose. To her surprise, Rusty was there too, wheeling a second machine over to the group. “This one goes there,” Henry complained, waving a wrench at the back of the machine, “that one goes there, all right?”

Charles nodded. “Henry, I designed this thing with you. I know it as well as you do.”

Leia smirked. “Or probably better than him.” 

“Hello there, Your Graces.” Charles bowed. “We're working on our revolutionary new engines.”

Henry nudged it with his cane. “If we can ever get it running.” He finally whacked it over the cover with the long, slender cane...and it whirred to life, attracting quite a few people. 

“Gather 'round, all!” Rusty attached a small balloon to the engine. “See the marvel of the age! This machine will process, cure, and liquefy khyber crystals, creating three times more steam than one that runs on coal or oil!” Indeed, the large balloon was filling rapidly. “Imagine, an air balloon that can carry not one, not two, not three, but as many as a thousand passengers daily! And not only across the river or the Tatoonie Badlands, but to far-away cities like London, New York, and Shanghai! You could go to New York to catch a show at Union Square, then come back to Naboo in time for breakfast!”

“Pretty brilliant, isn't it?” Henry gave her that smirk. “Charles, Rusty, and I developed it.” He nodded at the shorter man. “Rusty's my handyman, blacksmith, and mechanic. I pretty much share him with Mon Mothma. If something needs to be fixed, he's your man. No one knows more about machines than him.”

“It's very ingenious.” Leia watched as the engine puffed harder. “How does it work?”

“I'm sorry, Your Grace. I'm like a magician. I never reveal my secrets.” He raised an eyebrow. “I'm surprised you're interested. Most women in your position would find all this boring.”

“I've dealt with machines before.” The young duchess shrugged. “Aunt Breha thinks it's unladylike, but Uncle Bail says I have hands that need to keep busy.” 

“She does.” Bail laughed. “She was always getting into things as a child. Wanted to see how the boiler worked. Wanted to see how the lights turned on. Asked a million questions and got into everything. I thought it was better to just let her get dirty and help out.”

“I'll bet.” Henry smirked. “Most royal girls spend their time eating watercress sandwiches and weak tea at garden parties and working on their embroidery. Never knew one who liked mechanics.”

“I'm not fond of weak tea, and if I'm going to have a sandwich, I'd rather have something in it along with watercress.” Leia rolled her eyes. “And to my aunt's embarrassment, my embroidery is terrible. My floss always gets tangled.”

Henry's smirk remained as Bail asked Charles about the engine and the idea of applying it to several factories in Alderaan. “You know, Your Gracefulness, you don't look like the type who'd get their hands dirty. You're too pink and soft, like that frilly thing you're wearing. Are you going to a fair or getting married?”

Leia stiffened, straightening the pink and white dress. “It's the latest fashion. At least I don't look like I stepped into a grease pit.”

“I've been doing work. Which is probably more than you've been doing.” Henry glared at her. “Have you ever done a day's work in your life?”

Leia glared at him. “Running a country, even a small one, is a big job. I've been working with my father, studying what he does. The line of succession falls to women in Alderaan. I'll be Grand Duchess when he dies. What have you done for your country? Shipped a few crystals from here to there?”

“I've done more for this country than you could ever dream of, sister.” He started limping towards the seating area in front of the stage. “If it weren't for my shipping business, nothing that's made in these factories would get sold. I'm planning on leaving with Charles as soon as I make enough money. We're going to take Solo Shipping to France, Germany, England. Maybe even back to the US. We're going world-wide.”

“I'm sure.” Leia sighed. “You know, you could stay. This country needs strong leaders like you.”

Henry pointed at her. “But what about your needs?”

“My needs?” Leia shook her head. “I don't know what you're talking about.”

“Come on.” Henry hobbled along next to her, somehow managing to keep up, despite his lame leg. “You want me to stay because of the way you feel about me. I saw the way you looked at me last night.”

Leia raised her eyebrows. “You're imagining things.”

“Am I? Why are you following me?” The lazy smirk returned. “Afraid I'd let you go without a good-bye kiss?”

Leia's glare was deadly. “I'd just as soon kiss your Wookie native friend.”

“I can arrange that!” Henry stormed off, growling “You could use a good kiss!” as he limped away.

Too angry to pay attention, the young duchess didn't see Henry hurry backstage without a trace of a limp. Charles and Wedge were already there. “You boys ready?”

Wedge wore one of the gray Death Star Lines uniforms. The square-breasted, black-buttoned tunic was too tight across his chest, the pants too stretched. “Hobbie and Wes just rounded up all the crew. They're stripped and tied up in a tool shed near the park offices at Amidala Pond.”

“Good.” Henry's lazy smirk grew wider. “Now, all we have to do is wait for the kid to finish, and we'll spring the trap.”

Leia angrily dropped down next to bail at one of the front benches that were reserved for royalty. The benches were mostly full now. Women in fine white and pastel lace gowns and tiny, flower-and-veil-laden hats chatted with men in soft pale suits and straw toppers with grosgrain striped ribbons. Children in middy dresses and sailor suits ran between benches, laughing and chattering, their plump faces sticky with pink cotton candy.

The crowd cheered as Luke and Ben Kenton emerged. Ben's outfit was less showy than Luke's. He wore what appeared to be a white tunic with a tan vest with heavy brass buttons, tight tan trousers, black boots, and a long, heavy brown cape with a hood that covered his face. Ben introduced himself and Luke, doing all the talking. As he explained about the ancient art of Naboo sword technique and sword fighting in the Alliance, Baron Vader and Governor Tarkin arrived, flanked by at least four Naboo army soldiers in white uniforms and three of their officers in gray. They ejected a family who were sitting in the back benches and sat and watched the show, flanked by rows of gleaming, colorless uniforms.

Ben blinked in shock when Vader took a seat, missing his last three lines. “Well,” he said, “perhaps actions, in this case, speak more than words. The Jedi Knights once said that the Force directed their actions, their movements. And that may have been true, but it was also the result of years of practice.” He turned to Luke, drawing an unusual bluish sword from his hip. “Engarde, black-guard!”

“Touche!” Luke called, taking up a similar stance. Leia watched eagerly as the two flashed across the stage, their swords flying faster than the human eye could follow. Blades clashed as sun glinted off the metal, giving them a golden glow. Luke's sun-colored hair seemed like halo around his head. Ben's was barely visible under his heavy cloak. Both were visibly sweating, at least what was visible of Ben.

Luke finally managed to get behind Ben, tugging the sword of his hand and into his own. “You've done well, my apprentice.” Ben bowed for him. “I've taught you everything you can learn. I think you're ready to go up against other combatants, ones perhaps even more learned than I.”

They managed to get two more spectators up on stage. One was one of the men in the light suits from the crowd, a private school teacher from Alderaan who taught fencing to his students. Luke easily disarmed him within minutes. He had more trouble with one of Vader's men in white, a tall fellow with dark hair just visible under his heavy helmet. He had height, weight, and likely experience on Luke, but the boy had his youth and flexibility. He managed to duck around the man and get him from behind.

Leia craned her neck, nodding at Vader. He watched the spectacle with interests, his green glass eye never leaving Luke's lithe form. “I wonder why he doesn't go up there?” She craned her neck to get a better view of his entourage. “I heard he's one of the best fencers in Naboo.”

Uncle Bail grinned. “Maybe he thinks he's above showing off in front of a crowd.”

“Thank you.” Luke bowed for his competitor and the crowd as the defeated soldier left the stage. “I have time for one more sparring partner before I have to turn this venue over to the local officials. Anyone?” He scanned the crowd, shading his eyes. “Isn't there anyone who thinks they could defeat me?”

Not a single person raised their hand. Leia didn't know what came over her. She was royalty. They did not show off. Still...it couldn't hurt...

“I'll do it.” She raised her hand. “I'll take you on.” There was a murmur in the crowd. No one had expected the next challenger to be a woman, and a royal one, at that. Some of the men guffawed. Several women looked outraged; others were amused or shocked.

“Come on, girl!” called a British and quite female voice from the back of the audience, where most of the peasants were. “Show 'em what you're made of!” The rest of the crowd chuckled as her friend, a swarthy man with wild black hair and a thin mustache, gave her a nudge.

“Oh, I will.” Luke handed her the other sword. “Don't think I'll go easy on you, Skywalker. I've been taking fencing lessons since I was a child.”

“You're one up on me, then.” Luke shrugged. “I've only been training with Ben for a few years.” He bowed to her, then put out his sword. “Enguarde!”

She and Luke slashed and parried up and down the length of the stage. “I have to give you credit,” she said as she just ducked away from one of his thrusts, “for someone who's only practiced a few years, you're good.”

“Thanks.” Luke lunged for her. She just missed the rounded tip. “Ben and I practice a little every day. It can be tiring, but he says it's the only way for me to get any better. I've studied every book on fencing and the Jedi in the Corellia Manor library, too.”

“That explains your technique.” She finally managed to disarmed him, holding the sword to his chest. “I think you need to practice harder.”

The entire audience was in an uproar. Women gasped in shock...when they weren't cheering loudly for a woman beating a man at his own game. The girl in the back with the straight brown hair and long, slender face whistled. She nudged her handsome friend with the mustache, who rolled his eyes. She noticed Henry clapping in the back, his grin more proud and impressed than lazy. A beaming Uncle Bail called “That's my niece who did that!” over the crowd. 

One of the crew members from the airship signaled Luke out of the corner of her eye, making a fluttering sign with his hands. Leia couldn't help notice he looked a bit like Wedge, the missing yacht captain. Luke nodded and stepped up to the stage as the roar of the crowd died down. “I'm afraid that's all the time we have. We'll be here again tomorrow, same time, same stage.”

Bail helped Leia off the stage and tugged her away, ignoring the entreaties from men to fight with them or date them or marry them. “I'm so proud of you, Leia. You were wonderful up there. You truly upheld the honor of the Organa House and Alderaan.”

“I wasn't being too...precipitous...was I?” Bright scarlet continued to creep across her cheeks. “I know how most people feel about women, much less something as primitive as fencing, in this country...”

“Nonsense! They're just jealous.” He lead her back to their seats as Baron Vader and Governor Tarkin and their men made their way to the scaffold.

“Thank you, Duchess Organa and Mr. Skywalker.” The Govenor clapped, his narrow, pinched face looking faintly amused. “Now, it's time for the moment all of you have been waiting for since we reopened the Khyber Crystal Works two years ago. We are now entering the age of progress and presicsion. Man has conquered the water, the mountains, the desert, and the jungles, but there remains one trail he has yet to dominate – the sky.” He and Vader moved from the stage as the men quickly moved the scenery, giving everyone a clear view of the airship. “Behold, what we hope to be the flagship in Naboo's new airship armada, the Death Star!”

“Well,” Bail said as the crowds oohhed and ahhed over the size and grandiosity of the tremendous vehicle, “the name is certainly intimidating.”

Leia shook her head. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

“By special invitation, we will be holding a grand tour of the Death Star Airship. Those of you with invitations may line up at the silk rope, beginning in ten minutes.”

Bail nodded. “That would be us.” He took Leia's arm. “Shall we, dear? The others will probably meet us there.”

Cedric was with Mon Mothma and Aunt Breha when they made it to the line. “There you are!” Aunt Breha clucked over her. “On one hand, I'm shocked that you went up onstage and made such a display. There are proprieties to abide by when you're a duchess, my dear.”

Leia lowered her head. “Yes, Aunt Breha.”

The older woman placed her hand on Leia's shoulder. “On the other hand...I'm proud of you. You trounced that boy but good.”

“So am I.” Mon Mothma gave her a smile as elegant as her pale yellow suit. “Put in a good show for all of us strong women.”

The line was growing longer, snaking past Henry's engine booth and back towards the stage. Henry, Luke, Ben, and Charles were just slightly behind her in line. She chuckled as Charles slapped Luke on the back for a job well done, nearly knocking him to the dirt path. The feisty young brunette who had called out encouragement to her at the match was there as well, along with her dark-haired companion. She wore a peasant dirndl of dove gray, her simple gray scarf pulled over her hair, a fan hiding most of her face. The gentleman wore a soft sapphire-blue suit and a hat pulled low over his eyes. 

Leia's eyes widened as a guard in a gray uniform lead them through the gilt-edged door. It looked like a miniature version of your better cruise ships, all light, gleaming metal scroll work and carvings. The furniture was all wicker or lightweight wood covered in Asian-style black lacquer. The brilliant white walls and towering, rounded windows gave it a rather breezy air. 

“This is the main lobby and entrance.” Tarkin swept his hands around the room. “On your right, as we make our way down this corridor, are the main quarters for the officers, the Captain's quarters, and the state rooms for generals and other heads of state.” 

Leia raised her hand, but then fluttered her fan and smiled girlishly. “Excuse me, sir, but aren't you going to show us the cargo hold?” She laughed. “Surely a ship this size, being a naval vehicle and all, must have some place they store their guns and other weapons.”

Baron Vader removed his one green glass eye, wiping it like a monocle. Leia was startled to see that the while the skin underneath was mottled and scarred, the eye itself was a vivid sapphire-blue. Like Luke's eyes, she thought. “The cargo hold,” he rasped, “is hardly the place for a lady of quality.”

“Then perhaps,” added the woman with the brown hair and the gray scarf, “we can see the Captain's offices? Or maybe the main cabin, where the ship's wheel and navigational equipment are?”

“No,” Vader hissed. “They're top secret. Not for the public.” He reattached the monocle to the helmet. “Tarkin and I will show you the main dining hall and the crew's quarters.” The black-clad man-machine started towards a high arch that passed as a door. “Follow me. Stay with the group. Don't go wandering off. The Empire will not compensate for those who get lost during this tour.”

The young duchess couldn't help noticing that the group had become considerably smaller since they'd started. Luke, Han, and their group had all vanished. So had the young woman in the scarf and her handsome friend. “Uncle,” Leia muttered as they rushed to keep up with Vader's long strides, “how are we going to create a distraction and get away from the group?” Her liquid-dark eyes roamed around the long, sterile white hallway. “We have to find our contacts. They could be anybody!”

Uncle Bail stroked his thick black goatee. “There has to be some way we can break off from the main group.” He saw Breha chatting animatedly to a worried-looking Cedric. “Take Cedric with you. Say you need to go to the bathroom or lost your glove or something.” 

He fell back, taking his wife's arm. “My dear, you've barely spent time with me all day. Perhaps we can sit down in the crew's quarters and chat while Vader and Tarkin drone on about this monstrosity.”

Breha fanned herself. “While I do find all this fascinating, it is beastly hot, and we haven't spent much time together today.” Her lip stuck out petulantly, but her smile showed she only half-meant it. “One of the reasons I agreed to this trip was to get you away from all those affairs of state and have you all to myself.”

Leia grabbed Cedric's arm. “It's so stuffy here! Why don't we go see if we can find a bit of air somewhere?”

“But Your Grace,” Cedric wailed, “we're not supposed to leave the group! I'm sure Baron Vader has his reasons for wanting everyone to stick together. Don't you want to see the crew's quarters and mess hall?”

“Maybe later.” She steered him back around, tugging him towards the entrance to the hall. What she hadn't counted on was the two soldiers clad in their stiff white uniforms and shining black buttons, their guns polished and ready in the early afternoon light. 

Her fan was flipped out and fluttering before Cedric could even open his mouth. “Hello there, gentlemen,” she purred coquettishly. “It's so terribly hot in here! I don't know how you can manage to stand around in those heavy uniforms. You must have nerves of steel.”

The soldiers didn't even look at her. “We do alright, miss,” said one in a low monotone. 

“Maybe you could do a little better outside?” She got closer to them. “We could get a lemonade together.”

“Sorry, miss,” said the other, in an almost identical monotone, “but we can't leave our posts. Not regulation. We're still on duty.”

“Well, you won't be on duty forever.” She leaned closer to them, trying to ignore the acrid scent of metal polish mixing with hair oil and sweat. “There's a whole fair out there. We could have a little fun.”

“Your Grace!” Cedric's voice went up at least six octaves in shock. “You barely know these men! Why don't we just leave them to their duty? We'll find another way to the bathrooms.”

Leia stopped and sniffed. “I'm sure we could...” The men started sniffing too. Something was wrong. She could...sense it. There was danger. Her delicate nostrils picked up the scent of burning wood and lacquer and smoke. 

“Fire!” Cedric waved his hands in horror at the thick, acrid smoke coming from a room down the hall. “Fire! And everything in here is metal and wood! We'll be burned to ashes! I'll die! I'm too young and handsome to die!”

Leia covered her nose with her handkerchief. “You boys might want to go find you boss and get that put out, before it reaches the gas jets and we all blow to hell and gone before we get a chance to be burned to a crisp.” That got them out of her way fast. They nearly ran into each other as they dashed down the hall.

“Your Grace,” Cedric coughed as they rushed down the hall, “I don't think this is the kind of distraction your uncle had in mind!”

“Do you think I set this?” Leia grabbed his hand, dragging him towards the back rooms. They dodged many frantic workers with hoses and huge buckets of water, running into each other and over the hoses, spilling water everywhere and creating even more chaos. “Looks like someone else wanted to make a distraction, too.”

“Well, it's effective.” Cedric dabbed at his watering brown eyes. “I just hope your aunt and uncle and Senator Mothma aren't harmed. They were still on the tour.”

She could have sworn that two of the men she ran into were familiar. One had floppy gold hair; the other had straight dark hair and a narrow chin. When she turned to inspect them further, they were gone, rushing back down the hall with their buckets.

Leia stopped momentarily. “Cedric, you're right. We really should go find them, make sure they're ok, especially if there is a fire.”

“Of course there's a fire!” Cedric waved a long, yellow-clad arm at the fumes that continued to drift from the rooms behind them. “I can still smell the smoke!”

“Yes, there's smoke.” Leia returned her handkerchief to her purse. “But I haven't seen any flames.”

“There has to be fire somewhere.” Cedric turned around. “It's likely in one of the rooms.”

She pushed two men aside, then whacked two more across their heads when they tried to attack two of the men with buckets. Both men were familiar. One had a straw hat with a wide brim that shaded his face...but the long nose and wisps of reddish hair gave him away. A smaller figure wore a daisy-trimmed bonnet, but the blond hair that stuck out of it was done in a man's style. The duo knocked over two more men who reached for her. She gave them a salute and hurried off, a fussing Cedric following after. 

Four tall men with thick, dark beards and some of the thickest arms Leia had ever seen hurried after them with more buckets. They closely resembled Henry's valet Charles, with their mountains of hair and towering heights. Three more followed them. These men sported dirty, slightly tattered older uniforms that were too tight for them and silver metal collars around their thick necks. Leia wanted to inspect the collars, but they disappeared down the hall before she had the chance.

As they hurried to the end of the hall, Leia nearly tripped over someone familiar on his way in the opposite direction. “Rusty!” Cedric reached out and grabbed the back of his friend's collar with his long fingers. “What are you doing here? I'm sure you didn't have an invitation!”

“I'm workin', Cedric.” He tugged at his collar. “Did'ja have to almost strangle me?”

“I'm sorry, but you were flying down the hall at such a rate.” Cedric glared at him. “Did you have something to do with this fire?”

“Me?” The little man tried to look innocent. “Why would I set a fire in here? It's a thing of beauty. That was some fool tourist who probably went down the hall for a smoke and forgot to use the ash trays.”

“I think you're involved in this.” Cedric crossed his arms. “You're always involved in some crazy adventure. You were the one who just had to take Master Anakin on that ride through a battlefield in a small frigate when the boy was nine years old!”

“There was no way I was going to miss taking part in a major battle.” Rusty shrugged. “Figure it might do the the kid some good. Going to war builds character. Besides, the tyke was the one who took down that enemy battle cruiser.”

Cedric waggled his finger at his shorter friend. “You're lucky his mother never found out before she died. She would have had a heart attack right then and there!” He sighed, remembering. “She was such a sweet, kind woman, too. I wish I could remember what happened to her son afterwards...”

Rusty coughed as Leia rolled her eyes. “Share the good times later, gentlemen. Right now, I need to find...er, meet a few people.” 

She was about to turn around and go back down the hall when she saw a long, gray-gloved hand wave through the smoke. “Come with me!” The young woman she'd seen at the fencing exhibition and in line beckoned at her, her blue eyes imploring. “And may the Force be with you!”

Cedric raised an eyebrow. “May the Force be with you too, young lady. I haven't heard that line in years, since Rusty and I worked with some of the Jedi Guards during the final campaign of the Alliance Wars. It was so...”

“Cedric, she's my contact!” She turned to Rusty. “How are you with keeping secrets?”

Rusty's grin was from ear to ear. “Better n'you think, young lady.”

“Good. You're coming with us, then.” Leia helped the young woman knock out the three men who were guarding the door in the hall with her parasol and the butt of the other's gun. The trio followed her to a set of narrow wood and metal stairs. The stairs took them past two very small porthole windows. The scene outside was just as chaotic as inside. People were bringing hoses and water and pitchers of iced tea and lemonade. Several of the firemen wore red blouses and black vests. They didn't look like the firefighters she'd seen polishing their carriage in Lothal.

The stairs took them to the top deck. Leia would have stayed and admired the view further, but the young woman continued to beckon them. The trio were lead into a wide room with curved walls and copper-trimmed portholes. Unlike the utilitarian walls in the downstairs hallway, these were covered in an elegant green-sprigged gold wallpaper and cherrywood and gold leaf. The thick pipe leading to the main air bag hissed, its tubes incongruous with the heavy, dark wooden furniture and massive bookshelves. 

“You're Duchess Leia Organa?” The woman nodded. “Jyn Erso. I am...was...the daughter of Galen Erso, the owner of Erso Shipyards.” Her male companion took her hand and kissed it. Jyn rolled her eyes. “This is Captain Cassian Andorez, late of the Spanish army.”

“Who are they?” The captain waved at Cedric and Rusty. “Are they with you?” He had a thick, lilting accent that betrayed his Castilian ancestry. The dark eyes darted all around the room, as if he expected Vader himself to come upstairs any minute with guns and swords.

“Yes, they're with me. You can trust them.” Leia ran her hands over the consoles, with their rows upon rows of shining brass instruments. “What is all this?”

“The controls for the greatest instruments of mass destruction ever seen in Europe, maybe the entire world.” She handed Leia a book, a slightly battered steam ship repair manual with thick cardboard covers that depicted a small steamship on the water. “This is how we smuggled the blueprints.” She lowered her head, blinking blue eyes that threatened to fill with tears. “Dad...” she murmured. “Poor Bodhi, and Allan...they didn't deserve that.” Cassian put an arm around her as she choked back a sob.

“Allan?” Cedric's long face bobbed up with a start. “Allan Kenyon? Tall, dark-haired, round head, sassed everyone and everything? He was a friend of mine. Used to work for Governor Tarkin, before he quit and joined the shipyards as the owner's secretary.” Cedric's usual eager smile fell. “He was among the bodies the Imperials found when they combed the remains after the fire. He was close to where it started...they said he never had a chance.”

Rusty handed a slightly grimy handkerchief to his taller friend, who blew his nose as he wept noisily. “Ol' Al was a buddy of mine, too. Used to have a beer with him every now and then at Maz's Tavern.”

The Spanish man nodded. “Allan and I were amigos for years, since he joined the Rebel Society. That is why he left Tarkin. Bodhi, too. He was nice senor from Jedha over the Aldra Mountains who never step on ant in his life. He saw the cruelty that was committed when the Khyber Crystal Works opened, quit the Works, and joined the Rebel Society.”

“We're doing this for them.” Jyn's fingers clutched at the book in her hands. “For Dad, for Allan and Bodhi, and for Chirrut and Baze.” The girl's severe expression softened into a very pretty smile. “Chirrut and Baze were a monk and a guardsman who used to work at the temple in Jedha, before it was destroyed. They...we became friends. Mon Mothma wanted to find out what Vader was really doing with those airships. We were sent to my father's shipyards to steal the blueprints, so we could find a weakness and possibly take this new fleet down for good.”

Rusty raised a thick eyebrow. “So this Rebel Society of yours is behind all these acts of sabotage on the Airship and at the shipyard and factory.”

“We are behind sabotage on Airship and factory, yes.” Cassian's handsome, swarthy face hardened. “But not bombing of Erso Shipyard. That was Vader.”

Leia brown eyes were incredulous. “Vader?”

Jyn's intense gaze landed on Leia. “Yes. Instead of shooting balls or powder, this ship shoots a bolt of light created by a steam engine filled with liquid khyber crystals. It can blow anything to hell and gone in an instant.”

Cassian's nearly black orbs were haunted. “We saw it. We saw the laser blow main shipyard building, where everyone was working on new battle cruisers.” He jerked his head up at the two servants. “Allan was not killed by explosion. He was first shot by Vader's men before the shipyard blow to bits.”

“The others never made it out.” Jyn's voice was a flat monotone. “Bodhi died in the blaze. Chirrut was shot by Imperial soldiers while trying to defend us, and Baze died protecting him. We just barely survived.”

“My brave senorita, she only get bumps and bruises.” Cassian rubbed his arm. “Me, I come out with broken ribs, broken ankle, many bad burns. Still,” he took her hand gently, “we are lucky to be alive, no?”

The look Cassian gave Jyn as their eyes met...it was pure love, admiration, adoration. It was rather similar to the look her aunt and uncle gave one another right before they made themselves scarce to canoodle in meeting room before her uncle's cabinet arrived. Leia wondered if a man would ever look at her like that.

“What I don't get,” Rusty added as he took his sodden hankie back from Cedric, “is why Vader would blow up the shipyards in the first place.”

“He found out Dad joined the Rebel Society.” Jyn managed to tear her gaze from Cassian to the servants. “He and his crews built several faults into the Death Star that would allow it to be destroyed easily. That's what the blueprints are for. They'll tell you where those faults are.”

“Si, Senorita Organa.” Cassian took the book and pushed it into Leia's hands. “You must go. Take these to your Tio Bail, and to Senora Mothma. They will bring to Rebels.”

Leia tucked the book in her white silk drawstring purse. “Why can't you do this yourselves?”

“We are wanted criminals now. Vader knows someone, they take those plans.” Cassian's fingers wrapped around Jyn's smaller ones. Her smile was blinding. “We're going to leave country as soon as we're off the ship. We will return to my native Barcelona. I know people. We will have small apartment, live new life.”

“Bless you, Your Grace!” Jyn squeezed her hand. “As Chirrut used to say, may the Force be with you!”

That was when Leia heard the blasts. “You two!” The three crew members Leia and Jyn had rendered unconscious downstairs were back...with quite a few reinforcements. “The women are under arrest for assaulting an officer. I've seen the man on wanted posters. He's one of those Rebels who destroyed the Erso Shipyards!”

Cassian pulled a pistol from his pocket. Jyn removed a larger one from her purse. While the two shot at the guards. Leia slammed them over the head or across the chest with her metal-shafted parasol, enough to knock them out. 

“Leia!” Jyn tossed her a pistol. “You'll need this. Get out of here! Get those papers to your uncle!”

“I will! I promise!” The cabin was becoming smoky with gunfire. Leia jabbed a white rear end, trying to get them out of her way...only to realize when the clouds cleared from her vision that the rear was clad in pale gold, not white. 

Cedric rubbed his rear. “Must you poke quite so hard, Your Grace? I may never sit down again!” He pushed his rear at Rusty. “Does it look all right? Is there any permanent damage?”

“There is a very small hole in your pants that you could probably get one of the housemaids to fix.” Rusty rolled his eyes. “Otherwise, you're fine, Mr. Drama Queen.”

“Enough, you two.” Leia tucked the book under her arm and started shoving the duo down the stairwell. “Come on. We have to get this to Uncle Bail, and fast!”

The smoke had begun to diminish by the time they made it back to the main hall. “I wish I knew where the tour went.” Leia closed her eyes, trying to remember.

“I have an excellent memory.” Cedric pointed down the hall. “Your uncle said he was going to take your aunt to the crew's quarters to sit down and get some air.”

Even as Cedric spoke, the daunting black visage of Baron Vader rose in her vision, as if he was an evil sorcerer who had appeared in the puffs of remaining smoke. One of the men whom had attacked her, Jyn, and Cassian in the main cabin saluted his superior officer. 

“Your Excellency,” he began, “while two of the thieves who stole the plans escaped, the third is still at large, as are the plans themselves. We didn't find them on the other two thieves before they fled.”

That was when Leia heard the laughter. High-pitched laughter, that held a touch of madness. As the smoke at the end of the hall cleared, it revealed a slender figure in a red blouse and a black vest with silver buttons. The mask and goggles gave him an eerie look, like a mechanical figure from a futuristic novel. He was flanked by three of the furry-bearded men she'd seen earlier, all now carrying pistols and small, sharp knives. 

“Vader!” Leia started. The voice was supposed to be a high-pitched cackle, but she'd heard it somewhere before, and recently. “I'm the Crimson Hawk! You want me?” He laughed. “Come and get me!” More smoke surrounded him and his entourage, filling the hallway. By the time Vader and his men made it to where he'd been standing, he was gone.

“Find him!” Vader hissed, steam gushing from every pipe. “Find that traitor and bring him to me! I want the honor of killing him myself!”

“Perhaps we should flee as well.” Cedric shook her shoulder. “I believe this is no longer a safe place for people of our quality. Bandits and spies! What next?”

Rusty was already making his way towards the exit. “Yeah. I sorta told Henry n' the kid I'd meet them outside after we were finished in here.”

Leia smacked her way through the crowds...until she heard someone gasp outside. She'd just gotten a soldier over the ear when she looked up and saw the Crimson Hawk himself standing on the top of the roof on Nabarrie Palace, flanked by a taller, more slender man with a silver mustache visible under the hood. He wore a cloak over his white shirt and vest, despite the hot day, and carried a glowing sword similar to the Hawk and Eagle's. 

“Vader!” He called from the crowd. His voice was higher and lighter than the Crimson Hawk she'd kissed at the ball. The younger Crimson Hawk grinned. “It would seem that we have the high ground now.”

“You only think you do!” Vader nodded, sending ten of his men battering through the door and into the ancient keep. “I'll have you now, Hawk! There's no escape!”

“You'd be surprised, Vader,” called a much older, more careworn voice. “You're only going to make yourself look foolish again, as you did last night at the Senator's party.”

Vader shook his fist. “I'm the ruler of this land, as appointed by our soon-to-be Emperor himself. I make the laws to be obeyed, not broken by one ignorant jackanape and a few worthless rebels!”

The Hawk only laughed. “Your precious Emperor has no more claim on the throne of Naboo than you do. He forced the true queen from her throne. You murdered her regent, the man whose titles you stole.” Leia did notice that his older friend seemed to wince at that line.

“I did not steal them!” Now Vader sounded rather like a petulant middle-aged man arguing with his wife. “They've been mine for years. Look them up at Nabarrie Palace, if you dare show your face there.”

The duo on the tower bowed. “Alas, Vader, we must dispense with the pleasure.” The older man chuckled. “I'm afraid we have other things to do. Duty calls. You know something about that, having once been a Jedi and all.”

“I was a Jedi,” Vader hissed, “until they attempted to take down the Naboo army and were killed. And now, I'll have the pleasure of killing the last remaining members of that order.”

“Perhaps another time.” A carriage barreled through the crowd, knocking people and booths helter-skelter. The Crimson Hawk and his older friend bowed before the crowd before tossing two metal-anchored ropes on a tree near-by and swinging right into the back of the speeding vehicle!

“Stop them!” Vader's hissing was sounding more and more like a deflating balloon. “Stop them, before they get away!”

The crowds went insane! People were attacking guards, throwing pies and cakes in their faces and tossing quilts and knitted blankets and shawls over their heads. Leia ducked behind one of the pie booths, pulling Cedric and Rusty with her. “Here.” She thrust a lemon cream pie into Cedric's hand. “You see a soldier, throw this at him.”

“But Your Grace,” Cedric wailed, “the soldiers are here to help us! They're our fighting men, and good ones, besides. Not to mention, we're wasting perfectly good pies!”

“Not that good if they lost to Coruscant.” Leia took a taste of an almond tart before hurtling it at an officer in a stiff gray uniform. “Not bad. Seemed a shame to waste it, but it was for a good cause. The Naboo army needs some color in their uniforms. That gray makes them look the same all over.”

Rusty was throwing pies and cakes and cookies everywhere, having a fine old time. “Come and get us, you Coruscant bilge rats!” He somehow managed to get a Strawberry Cake with flowery icing right on the head of an officer coming towards them. The man's pistol shot went wild, spooking a horse that ran into the crowd, causing even more chaos.

Cedric licked apple from his fingers. “I think it's time we found your parents and Senator Mothma.” He just managed to duck an oncoming nut tart. “This place is no longer appropriate for people of our quality.”

“You might have somethin' there.” Rusty's last almond tart landed at the foot of three oncoming soldiers, all of whom slipped on it and fell into each other. “We're out of ammo, and this place is getting a little too busy for me.”

Leia grabbed Rusty and Cedric by their collars, pulling them under the pie seller's table. “You two have to get these to my parents, or Senator Mothma,.” She shoved the book with the blueprints into Rusty's hands. “Or Sir Benjamin Kenton. Luke said he had connections, and he knows my Uncle. He may have a better idea of how to get rid of this thing and expose Vader.”

“But Your Grace,” Cedric sputtered, “what about you? What will I tell your aunt and uncle and my employer?”

“Don't worry about me, Cedric.” She gave him what she hoped was a reassuring smile. “I can take care of myself.”

“I know who to get these to.” Rusty tucked the book in the pocket of his apron. “Come on, you ol' worrywart. Let's go see my boss.”

“But...but...” Cedric was still sputtering when Rusty dragged him out from under the table. Leia didn't see where they went to. She was too busy calculating her own next move. Her eyes darted around the blur of ruffled skirt bottoms, white button-down boots, shiny oxfords, and pale trouser cuffs. 

She was about to shimmy out from under the bright red woven tablecloth when it was swept away. Two soldiers in uniforms so white the sun glinted off them towered over her. Another pair surrounded the table, their guns drawn and pointed directly at her.

“Well,” she started, dusting off her dress, “what is this all about? May I help you gentlemen? Perhaps you might want some pies? I made three apple tarts just this morning...”

“We don't want pies.” The tallest soldier shoved his gun in her face. “This is one of the ones who started the fight. She helped the Crimson Hawk escape. Vader asked for her personally.”

“I don't care what Vader wants.” Leia smacked him as hard as she could in the groin with her parasol. He screamed at the sharp tip and went sprawling. 

The young woman had just started sprinting across the airfield when she felt something slam her across the head. “She won't give us trouble for a while.” Hands gathered her into two arms in glossy fabric. “Inform Baron Vader that we have a prisoner.”

Those were the last words she remembered hearing before she blacked out.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While servants Cedric and Rusty make their way to the others with the plans, Henry has a close encounter with an old foe and Sir Kenton teaches Luke more about the Force...and his heritage.

Rusty looked over his shoulder just in time to see one of Vader's goons sweep an unconscious Leia into his arms. “Damn it all to hell!” He started back towards the fair, but Cedric grabbed his arm. “Let go of me, you walkin' pile of nerves!”

“We have to get these blueprints to...well, to somebody.” He sniffled. “Or everything Her Grace and Miss Jyn and Captain Andorez and poor Allan fought for will be in vain.”

“Yeah, for the first time in your life, you're probably right.” The shorter man stumbled towards the path leading back towards the main road. “I think I know the best way outta here. The Junk Pickers.” 

“Them?” Cedric wrinkled his nose. “The Junk Pickers are dirty, messy, nasty rapscallions. I know the Senator tolerates them because they keep debris from piling up, but must they be so disgusting?”

Rusty was breathing hard when they finally made it to the back of the stone fortress. “If you spent all your time in a junkyard, you wouldn't exactly be smelling like roses.”

Indeed, there were piles of old junk – a rusted bed frame, a broken chair, a grease-clogged engine that had seen better days, crates of tarnished tools and dusty bottles – laying by the back door. The two men managed to dive around a corner just as a massive, rickety old cart came bouncing up the path, drawn by two ponies with shaggy, tangled manes. 

The men who drove the cart bore close resemblances to their horses. They too had shaggy, unkempt manes and beards. Their yellowed goggles and jowly faces were so covered in dirt, it was impossible to tell how old or young they were. The six men spoke in a high, rather garbled Polish dialect. Their clothing was the same worn by all male peasants – vests, blouses, and tight trousers, rather like a less ornate and darker version of the Crimson Hawk's outfits. Their high black boots were cracked and scuffed, and at least two had newspaper stuffed into tattered toes.

“Come on.” As the Junk Pickers went through the tools and the bottles, Rusty grabbed Cedric's arm and tugged him to the back of the carriage. There were heaps of crates and ancient, damaged furniture, clocks, and parts under heavy cotton tarps. Rusty shoved Cedric under one of the tarps near the front, then ducked under himself.

They went under just in time. Rusty lifted a corner of the tarp, watching as the Junk Pickers tossed the crates, engine, and bed spring onto the carriage. The weight of the iron bed frame caused the carriage to leap into the air...and nearly knocked the duo back onto the dry road.

“Do you know where this is going?” Cedric winced as a broken spring from the bed frame stabbed him in the side. “We must get back to Senator Mothma with these plans as quickly as possible. She might be able to round up an army to rescue poor Duchess Leia.”

“Shh!” Rusty threw his small, fat hand over his friend's thin lips. “We're not goin' to Chalindria Court. The junk yard is near the harbor. We'll get off in town.”

“But that's nowhere near the Senator!” Cedric groaned. “We're doomed. How did I let you drag me into this mess?”

“Shut up.” Rusty pulled the tarp more tightly over them. “One of my employers is Sir Benjamin Kenton. Ben was in the Alliance Wars. What he doesn't know about rescuin' people ain't worth knowin'. If he doesn't have a plan, Henry n' the kid probably will.”

“I hope you're right.” Cedric tried to wiggle his lanky body away from the sharp metal. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As Rusty and Cedric bounced along in the Junk Pickers' carriage, Henry Solo and Charles Bacca were enjoying lunch in one of Henry's favorite taverns on the Harbor, one he had frequented in his pirating days. It was barely more than a shack, with walls made from rusted corrugated tin and a roof of scrap metal, and the clientele consisted of pirates, salty old sailors, and crusty soldiers with many a tale to tell, but they served the best ale and the crispiest fried river trout in Naboo.

“Five thousand.” Henry laughed, studying the contents of the velvet bag in his hand. “We got five thousand for selling those jewels from the ball.” He tugged at another velvet bag on his waist. “And at least another three thousand from picking pockets at the fair.” He shrugged. “Some of this will go into food for the peasants. Keep the kid happy. Some of this is gonna go back into the Falcon.” He tucked a smaller bag into his pocket. “Most of it is gonna pay Huttman back. I only need a few thousand more, and we'll be done with him for good.”

Charles glared at him under his bushy brown beard. “You're a fool if you think Huttman will let you off the hook just 'cause you paid him five years after the fact. He was after you before that, and he's still after you. He never liked that you wouldn't agree to be one of his stooges.”

“I don't work for anyone, not even Huttman.” Henry shook his finger at Charles. “I'm my own man. Always.”

“Tell that to Huttman.” Charles stood, his grizzled head almost brushing the low ceiling. “I'm going to get us both drinks. Usual Corellian ale?”

“Yeah. Two fingers. I think I'm gonna need it after that mess in town.” He watched his towering valet as he ambled to the bar, stopping to flirt with a waitress. Henry settled for leaning back and inspecting his cash. Soon. Soon, they'd have enough money to leave this tiny, hole-in-the-wall country and all its insane drama. Maybe he could even court that Duchess Leia...nahh, he finally decided. Beautiful duchesses like her didn't court working stiffs with prices on their heads.

He'd just stood to see what was taking Charles so long at the bar when he walked right into the barrel of a tarnished pistol. “Hello there, Solo.” The short, lanky man wore a cheap suit and bowler hat, his blond hair bristling. His bug eyes protruded from a narrow face with tiny, disapproving lips. “Going somewhere?”

“As a matter of fact, Gredano,” Henry began as he sat down, “I was just about to send a telegram to your boss. Tell Jenkins...”

“Jenkins is still angry with you, Solo.” Gredano kept his pistol trained at Henry. “He never forgave you for dumping that shipment.”

“Even I got boarded at times. Not to mention, I got shot. Do you think I had a choice about dumping that opium? Besides, that was five years ago. I'm a legitimate businessman now.” His hand slid slowly under the table, clutching his favorite pearl-handled pistol he'd bought while on a trip to London as a cabin boy. “Tell Jenkins...”

“Jenkins is through with your excuses, Solo.” Gredano snorted. “He may only take that rust bucket you call a ship.”

“First of all, don't insult my baby.” Henry glared at him. “Second, he'll touch that ship over my dead body.”

“That's the idea.” Gredano's leer widened. “I've been waiting for this a long time, Solo.”

“Yeah, I'll bet you have.” The back of the room was lit by gunpowder. Before the bartender could screech “No guns!”, Gredano collapsed face-first, a bullet lodged in his chest.

“Sorry about the mess.” Henry tossed him a few coins as he limped out, Charles following. “This should pay to dump him in the nearest cemetery.”

“I just heard from Wedge on the talkers.” Charles held out a long, flat box with a wire at the end and open speakers in the front. “He, Hobbie, and Wes got the Wookies safely over the border, including my father and son.”

“Good.” Henry leaned on his cane as they climbed into the small carriage parked by the alley. “All we have to do is pick up the kid and Ben, finish with the Falcon, and make one more delivery in town.” He gave him the lazy grin. “And we just need to sell these and get the kid where he belongs, and we'll be free to go and pay off Jenkins.”

“I don't know if I like this.” Charles took the reigns. “This leaving business. I feel like we're runnin' out on Luke and Sir Kenton. They need us.”

“Luke doesn't need us. Once he gets where he's going, he'll have a whole army at his disposal, not to mention the old guy.” Henry patted Charles' shoulder. “You'll like the US. I haven't been in Chicago in years.”

“If you say so, Henry.” Charles' tone basically said that this wasn't done, nor would it be until his employer changed his mind. “I think we'd better meet Luke and Kenton at the junkyard, before they start to worry.”

Henry nodded. “Yeah. We should have been there already. I told them I needed to make a stop, but I didn't think Gredono would try to take a pot shot at me.”

“That weren't no pot shot!” Charles squeezed his shoulder. “You were lucky it was dark in there and he couldn't see clearly.”

“It wasn't luck.” Henry's smirk widened. “It was skill.”

His tall bodyguard just sighed. “Sure, Han. Sure.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“I'm worried, Ben.” Luke ducked around the the ball. “They should have been here by now. He said he'd meet us at the junk yard as soon as he took care of something.”

“Knowing Solo, what he was taking care of was a drink, or one of his shady 'contacts.'” The former knight sighed. He and Luke rigged up a ball on a rope that one or the other controlled. The ball was one of Ben's special Khyber balls, from his days as a Jedi Guard. It could spit out small, cutting beams of light if hit improperly. Luke dodged it, watching out for those beams of light. “Use the Force, Luke. Concentrate.”

Luke tugged at the goggles. They were Ben's dark goggles, and they were even thicker than the green ones he usually wore. “With these on, I can hardly see! How am I supposed to fight? The ones Han and I wear are bad enough!”

“Your eyes can deceive you, my boy. Don't trust them.” Luke tried to follow the swishing of the ball, but it moved too fast. “My old master Yoda used to say that one has to do, not try.”

The ball ducked behind the red-clad youth. He swirled around, fighting off its light beams. “Yoda? I've heard of a Liang Yoda. He was one of the greatest Jedis who ever lived. I thought he was dead.”

“Oh, he's still very much alive, and as cranky as ever. He retired after the guards were disbanded.” Ben smiled. “One of these days, I'm going to take you to visit him. I think he could teach you more than I ever could. He lives in Dagobah, in the marshes just beyond the southern borders of Naboo.”

“I'd love to. You're the only Jedi I've ever met. I've read about them, but I never saw any.” Luke slashed at the ball, but it jumped back. “I wish I'd know them, or my parents.”

“Your father was a good man once, Luke.” Ben's blue eyes grew weary. “We fought through the Alliance Wars together, him and me and Ashoka. Talk to her, Luke. She remembers him.”

His apprentice looked up from his fighting stance. “My uncle always said he was a merchant seaman on a freighter and died when it sank in a storm. Neither of them would talk about Mother at all, other than she was beautiful and kind.”

“Your mother was delicate, but she could be so stubborn.” Ben chuckled. “It probably what attracted Anakin to her in the first place. She was a firecracker wrapped in Belgian lace. And Anakin...you never knew what he might do at any given time. Our troops respected him, but they also discovered that when you were in his regiment, you expected the unexpected.” He turned his grin to the boy, even though he couldn't see them. “You have a lot of both of them in you, Luke. I see your mother's warmth, and that spark of mechanical genius your father had. He could make a machine do anything.”

Luke lowered his head wistfully for a moment. “They must have been wonderful people.”

“They were good fighters, good friends, and good rulers.” He swung the ball around more viciously. “Perhaps I need to increase the skill level...”

Luke lunged for the ball, but he wasn't quick enough. A small, thin blue light shot him in the rear just as Henry and Charles pulled into the junk yard. Han laughed as he climbed down. “Ain't you a little old to be playin' ball, kid?”

“We're not playing, Solo. We're practicing.” Ben didn't even look up as they sauntered around the mountains of broken furniture and rusted old carriages. “I've told you, the Force isn't a game. It's an energy field. It surrounds us, binds the world together.”

Luke stood for a minute, concentrating. His ears almost seemed to prick, listening for the ball's movements. Swish, swish, sway. The saber flashed, finally reaching its goal. There was a hot sizzle, and the ball dropped to the ground, cut off its rope.

“Good work, Luke!” Ben came from around the derrick. “I knew you could do it.”

The tall businessman in the gold shirt snorted. “I call it luck.”

“In my experience, Solo,” the older man insisted, “there's no such thing as luck.”

“Well, good against one of your little toys is one thing.” Henry picked up the now-inactive rock ball. “Good against the living? That's something else.”

All four men looked up as the Junk Pickers' lumbering, rusty old carriage rolled into the yard. “Hi, fellas.” Henry waved at them. “We're just picking up supplies, like we always do.”

“Mr. Solo!” Rusty and Cedric tumbled out of the back of the carriage. Rusty went right to his employer. “Mr. Solo, they've got her! We have to save her!”

Henry frowned. “Rusty, I thought you were keeping an eye on the engine and smoke machines at the fairgrounds.”

“I covered them. I'll go back for them later.” Rusty pulled out the plans. “They've got her, Mr. Solo. We have to go after her! They'll kill her!”

Luke and Ben had joined them by now, Luke with his light saber under one arm. “Her who?”

“Duchess Leia, Mr. Skywalker.” Cedric brushed off his natty pale gold suit. “Baron Vader captured her during the Crimson Hawk's raid at the fair.” He wiped off his glasses. “I can't abide those Junk Pickers. Disgusting men.”

Rusty smacked his friend in the arm. “Ced, this is serious. Who knows what Vader's gonna do to her? He thinks she still has those plans.” He handed the blueprints to Ben. “She wanted me to give these to you, sir.”

“Yes.” Cedric straightened his straw hat. “They must get to the Reb...to the correct people at once, Sir Kenton, or terrible things may happen, to the Alliance and to the Duchess.”

“The Duchess? Duchess Leia?” Henry made a face. “What's she got to do with all of this?”

“She sent this message along with them. Cedric is her chaperon.” Luke's blue eyes grew wide. “Henry, we have to save her!”

“Whoa!” Henry put up a hand. “Where do you get all this 'we' stuff?”

“Henry, she needs help.” Ben rubbed the back of his head. “I'm getting too old for this sort of adventure, and Luke and the servants can't do it on their own.”

Henry leaned against the small shack in the back of the yard, behind a pile of much-used carriage wheels and rusted springs. “I'm not goin' anywhere, unless it's to sell what we swiped this afternoon.”

“What if they torture her? Or kill her?” Luke waved hands in the air. Henry and Rusty just barely missed being stabbed in the gut by the unlit light sword. 

Charles put a hand on his employer's shoulder. “He is right, my friend. Vader could do real harm to that young woman.”

He shrugged the taller man's shoulder off. “Better her than me.”

Luke knew they needed Henry to agree to this. His guardian claimed to have his heart set on leaving, and Luke was all too aware that, even with the shipping doing well, they still needed money. His head shot upwards. Money. He finally turned to Henry, leaning into his ear. “She's rich.”

Now he was interested. “Rich?”

“Rich, powerful.” The young man waved the light sword in his face. “I'll bet there would be a huge reward.”

Ben nodded. “Bigger than you could ever imagine.”

“I don't know.” Henry smirked. “I could imagine quite a bit.”

“You'll get it.” Luke's face spread into a grin. “And more.”

The man in the gold blouse nodded. “I'd better.”

“You will.” Ben tucked the blueprints in a bag around his waist. “I'd suggest we get to the Naberrie Palace grounds, before the Death Star takes off. It'll be far more difficult to rescue Her Grace when it's in the air.”

Cedric's large amber eyes widened further as a roaring, whirring noise streaked over them. “I think it's too late, Sir Kenton. Look!”

Indeed, the shadow of a giant, torpedo-shaped balloon carrying what looked like a massive ship floated over them. The Death Star was even more impressive in the air than it was on the ground. It dwarfed the largest birds, deftly maneuvering around tall buildings and taller trees. The silvery metal casing glittered dully in the late afternoon light. 

“There's only one way we're going to catch that ship now.” Henry's smirk grew. “And that's with the Falcon.”

Charles raised an eyebrow. “I thought you said it weren't ready.”

“No better time for a test run.” The tall man with the messy auburn hair lead them to a heap of rubble behind the shack. Everyone else seemed to run under the rubble, Rusty dragging a sharply protesting Cedric along. “All aboard!”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Duchess Leia is in the clutches of the evil Governor Tarkin and Baron Vader on the Death Star Airship, but help is on the way from a most unlikely crew of rescuers...

Leia's head was pounding when she awoke. Everything around her was a gray blur. Gradually, her vision came into focus. She was likely in the brig or the Wookie slaves' quarters. The walls and the metal bunk she lay on were a dull, industrial gray, as was the scratchy wool blanket pulled over her shoulders. The one small port window was barred. Nothing was visible but clouds and sky. 

She groaned. Baron Vader had questioned her for hours, trying to get her to admit to stealing the plans and to find out where they were now. She felt him probing in her mind, as if he were poking it with a sharp stick. It took all her mental concentration, but she managed to block him out. Two of his men held her down long enough to inject a yellowish fluid into her arm that made her feel lightheaded and sleepy. Even then, she stuck to her story – she'd gotten lost and had wandered upstairs. She knew nothing about rebels, plans, or the Crimson Hawk. She was just here on vacation.

“Baron Vader.” Leia glared at him. “Only you could be so bold. Senator Mothma and my aunt and uncle won't stand for this. When they find out you've attacked one of the members of the royal house of Alderaan...”

“Spare me your lies, Your Grace.” Vader waved his gloved hand in her pale face. “I want to know what you've done with those plans. You were seen with two wanted criminals in my office. One of my men witnessed you handing off a book to two servants. Where did you send them?”

“I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm on vacation.” Leia drew up her shoulders. “Now, if you would please take me home, I can return to my family, and you can avoid being arrested for kidnapping.”

“You,” the mechanical man in black hissed, “are a member of the Rebel Society, and a traitor!”

“Now now, Vader.” Tarkin chuckled as he joined them. He still wore his gray uniform, which was as crisp and stiff as if it had never been touched by a pie or a bucket of water earlier that day. “This young lady is our guest. We should treat her like one.” 

He kissed Leia's hand. She grabbed it away from him. “Your lips are cold, and you kiss like a dead fish.”

“Charming, to the last.” He lifted her chin. “It grieves me so to have to execute you, but stealing government secrets and selling them to rebel factions is considered high treason in Naboo.”

Leia yanked her chin out of his clammy hands. “I'm surprised you had the courage to sign the papers yourself.”

Vader grasped the girl's arm so hard, she was sure he left bruise marks. “Enough, Your Grace. You're not at a cozy little dinner party, flirting with your beloved so-called Crimson Hawk. We are in command here.” He turned to his men. “Take her to the Bridge.”

“He's not my beloved Crimson Hawk.” Leia tried to pull her arm away, but he and his men held her fast. “I barely know the man. I never saw him before two days ago.” She would have done anything for her parasol, but she suspected it was locked up in some closet somewhere.

“That's not what I was told.” Tarkin and his men lead her down the plain, narrow, window-ringed hall. “Some of our men overheard you in the garden, being quite...chummy...with each other.”

“They must have heard birds chirping.” Leia turned her glare to the skeletal governor. “I was out to get some air and had to sit down. It was beastly hot last night.” 

Tarkin lead her into a massive room, even larger than what she'd seen upstairs. A glowing globe the size of a boulder surrounded by brass spinning pieces nestled into a cherrywood and metal casing that dominated the center of the room. Otherwise, it looked very much like Vader's private office upstairs, with dark wood furniture and walls trimmed with gold leaf and lit by khyber crystal chandeliers. She'd never seen so many brass knobs, dials, and levers in her life. A massive brass ship's wheel stood at attention on a wood and brass post between two smaller wheels. One of Vader's white-clad crew members steered the ship.

The Aldra Mountains, with the county's capitol city Aldera just beyond the Calarmari River, filled the view in the windows. Vader held both her shoulders, dragging her to the front windows. “Now, Your Grace,” Tarkin purred, “since you're reluctant to reveal the location of your co-conspirators, we've decided to make a second test of this equipment on your home country of Alderaan.”

“No!” Leia's face went dead white. “You can't do that! We're a peaceful country. We have no weapons on this level. We couldn't fight...”

“You would prefer another target? One with, perhaps, a stronger military? Then name the location.” Tarkin crowded her, his thin, musty-smelling breath hot on her cheeks. “I grow tired of asking this, Duchess, so it'll be the last time. Where are those plans?”

Leia blurted the first thing that came to mind. “Dantoonie Village, in Naboo. They're in Dantoonie.”

Tarkin chuckled. “See, Vader? She can be reasonable.” He turned to the three men in gray and black manning the dials and levers. “You may fire when ready.”

Leia's velvet-brown eyes widened in horror. “WHAT?!”

“That little village is too small and far away to make an effective test.” Tarkin's smile only made him look more ghoulish. “Don't worry. We'll only blow up a building or two. It won't even bother your vacation.”

“NO!” Leia lunged forward. It took Vader and two of his men to hold her down as a green light shot forward from a narrow cannon on the side of the ship. The light hit one of their naval shipyards, the largest one of the coast in Aldra Harbor. The entire area exploded into a fiery conflagration of ships, brick, metal, and wood. 

Leia struggled. “Stop! You're insane! Alderaan never did anything to you, you bastard!”

Tarkin nodded. Vader slapped the girl hard across her soft, petal-pink cheek. “Oh dear. Her Grace is quite hysterical. Vader, take her back to her cell. See that she's given something to soothe those jangled nerves of hers, before we return her to Scarif City to stand trial.”

Leia continued to scream and struggle, but it was no use. Vader picked her up, threw her over his shoulder, and carried her back down the hall. He dropped her into her cell, right on the hard metal bunk. “Have a pleasant evening, Your Grace.” She threw the blanket, the only thing in the room she could move, at him before he managed to slam the door and lock it behind her.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Vader returned to the bridge just in time for once of his officers to run up to him. “Baron Vader,” he said, “two of our men reported sighting another airship coming dead at us, sir.”

“Another airship?” Vader hissed his surprise. “I thought we destroyed all of the airships in production but the Death Stars at the Erso Shipyards.”

Two more officers hurried in. “We've captured the airship, sir. The name on the side is the Falcon. The markings resemble another Falcon, a pirate vessel that plied the waters of the Calamari River years ago. It can't be the same ship, though. The Falcon was sunk by the Coruscant Navy when it was caught carrying illegal drugs to Tatoonie.”

“Wait.” The hulking, half-mechanical man stopped suddenly. “I sense something. Two somethings. One...I haven't felt him in years...but the other...I sensed the other at the fair.” The hiss went up, harsh and angry. “It's the Crimson Hawk. The one seen at the fair. I'm sure of it. Not the one at Senator Mothma's party.” ”

“Vader, what are you doing?” Tarkin's watery blue eyes glared at him. “How do you know it's the Crimson Hawk? The Force?”

“I felt it.” He kept walking, Tarkin barely able to keep up with his long strides. “The last time I felt the Force this strong was in the presence of my old master.”

“Sir Kenton?” Tarkin raised an eyebrow. “He's a manager for Henry Solo, a respected businessman.” The elderly man snorted. “Probably trying to resurrect his beloved Jedi Guards. Their power has gone out of the Alliance. You, Baron, are all that's left of their order.”

“Don't be too certain, Tarkin.” Vader swept along, his cape somehow billowing behind him despite the lack of wind in the airship. “Or too proud of this massive piece of progress your Dr. Erso created. The ability to destroy a building is insignificant next to the power of the Force and the crystals.”

“I'm all too aware of how we're in the air, Vader.” Tarkin smirked. “And we owe you for that. It was brilliant, revealing where the Jedi's private khyber crystal mines were hidden. We should have enough stock to keep hundreds of Death Star Airships going for decades, as long as we can keep those Ewoks working.”

“My men will take care of them.” They trailed the officer down a metal staircase to the catwalks where other Death Star airships could join alongside them. The airship that came into view wasn't anywhere near as impressive as the Imperial Naboo ship. In fact, it looked like an ancient steam ship that had been patched together from parts of other ships, including sailboats. Cheerful red and silver paint couldn't hide the holes, rust, or splinters. The balloon bore a closer resemblance to a patchwork quilt than anything that could actually fly.

Three more men came down from the gangplank. “Baron Vader, we searched the entire vessel. No crew were found on-board.” 

Vader hissed sharply. “Did you find any documents?”

“Only the usual kind for the ship itself. If there was any crew on board, they must have bailed out before we towed them.”

“Get a crew here to search the ship more thoroughly.” Vader's hiss became more of a growl. “Bring any crew you find on that ship to me. I want them alive!”

~*~*~*~*~*~

“It's a good thing you had these compartments.” Charles helped Luke from the narrow lockers Henry had installed under the floor of the Falcon. It was cramped in there with one person, never mind three, one of whom was seven feet tall with arms like strong rope. 

“I used to use them for smuggling.” Charles lifted Henry easily. “Never thought I'd be smuggling myself in them.” He turned to Ben in annoyance. “This is crazy. Even if we find the duchess, we'll have to get the hanger opened to get out of here.”

“Leave that to me.” Benton managed to pull himself out, followed by Rusty and Cecil. 

“Damn fool,” Henry muttered. “I knew you'd say that.”

“Who's more foolish?” Benton shot back. “The fool, or the fool who follows him?”

“At this point, Ben,” grumbled Charles, “I'm starting to think it's all of us.”

Luke hurried after his mentor. “I want to go with you!”

“Stay with the others, Luke. You must find Leia and get her and those blueprints to the Naboo Senate.” Ben put his hand on Luke's shoulder. “Or this death trap may do worse things to Alderaan and Naboo than blowing up shipyards.”

The younger man couldn't help his whine. “But Ben...”

Ben just squeezed his shoulder. “The Force will be with you, my boy.”

Henry made a face as Ben walked out. The soldiers stationed outside didn't even look at him. “How does that old fossil do that?”

“We've told you, Henry. The Force.” Luke glared at him. “Ben is a great man, you know. He was one of the best guards Naboo ever had. He told me stories about everything he did in the Alliance Wars that would earn him six medals if the Jedi hadn't been disbanded.”

“What he's great at is getting us into trouble.” Henry peered out a window at the two guards, just as two more men came in with metal pokers and long hooks. “I just hope this duchess of yours is actually here.”

“She is.” Luke smiled a little. “I can feel her.”

“Well,” grumbled Charles, “how are we going to get out there without bein' seen?”

The longer Henry stared at the men, the wider his famous lazy grin became. “Wait. I have an idea.”

Before Luke could stop him, he threw himself onto the hanger. “Here I am, boys! Come and get me!”

The first soldier who followed Henry was met by a big Wookie fist right in the face. He was knocked head-first into the wall. The second was hit over the head with a frying pan wielded by a nervous butler in gold. The third tripped over a short handyman, falling into his friends. The fourth got a kick in a rear from a slender red and black riding boot.

“Ok, fellas.” Henry tucked his goggles and mask into his pockets. “Everyone get into uniform. We're going to blend in until we find your girlfriend.”

The younger man blushed. “She's not my girlfriend, Henry! I have Wedge. I think you're the one who likes her.”

“Me?” A similar telltale blush was already creeping across Henry's face. “Well...maybe.”

“Come on.” Charles was already stripping the uniform off the tallest man. “Before the rest of those officers come back and realize these men are gone.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Leia had no idea how long it was before she heard noises in the hall. She looked up...in time to see one of the crew members, a soldier in a white uniform and helmet, blast the lock on her cell door. She was merely amused. “Aren't you a little short for a soldier?”

“I...oh! The uniform.” He grabbed her hand. “It's me, Your Grace! It's the Crimson Hawk! I've come to rescue you!”

Leia only smiled. “No, you're not. I know what the Crimson Hawk is like. I was close enough to him to figure it out. You're too small and thin to be the Crimson Hawk I saw at Senator Mothma's party.”

“Ok, ok. I'm not the Crimson Hawk.” He bowed for her. “I'm the Golden Eagle. We switch roles to confuse Baron Vader and his men.” There was a boyish smile under the helmet and goggles. “And because it's kind of fun.”

Leia suddenly noticed, as she and the Golden Eagle ducked into the hallway, that they were surrounded by gunpowder and bullets flying and...lights? Thin electric lights shot from the Golden Eagle's elaborate brass and copper gun, with its rounded, molded trim like something out of a Jules Verne novel. The tallest soldier held a bow and arrow, shooting with deadly accuracy. She recognized the real Crimson Hawk, wearing his hood and goggles instead of the helmet, but otherwise still in uniform. 

“This is wonderful.” The duchess glared at her two erstwhile rescuers. “You got in here. Didn't you have a plan for getting out?”

The Crimson Hawk nodded at his younger companion. “He and the old man are the brains here, sweetheart.”

“This is ridiculous.” Leia grabbed the outlandish weapon from the boy next to her. She shot off two bolts of blue light, then shot the lock on a door, blasting it open. “Follow me, boys.” 

The narrow metal spiral staircase lead to what appeared to be the garbage compactor. Bags of trash were heaped throughout the room. It reeked of rotting fish, moldy cheese, ancient meat scraps, and musty paper. 

“Oh great.” The Crimson Hawk was nearly gagging. “The garbage room. Wonderful place you've lead us to here, Your Grace. The smell alone would kill at least sixteen bears.”

Leia shoved two bags aside. “There has to be another way out.”

The Golden Eagle whipped out what appeared to be a large box with dials and buttons on it. “R2-D2 and C-3PO,” he started, “you two are in the hanger. Can you talk to some of the soldiers and see if there's a way out of the garbage room besides the main staircase?”

“Sure, boss.” Leia's head shot up as she pushed another bag aside. She knew that voice. It sounded like Rusty, Cedric's friend! The man who sold her the wooden figures at the fair. She was about to inquire further when they heard gunfire on the staircase. 

“Rustbucket, hurry!” The Crimson Hawk had his own version of the device. “The soldiers are comin', and I don't know how long we can hold them off.”

The line crackled, and then Cedric spoke. “Is this how this object works? I really don't understand some of these wild gadgets you gentlemen use. At any rate, my companion is busy with several very rude soldiers at the moment, but he insists there's a chute in the back of a wall, like a dumbwaiter, that can be opened to haul garbage back and forth.”

“That'll work.” The tallest soldier hauled three bags of garbage aside, then shot the back wall, blasting a door open to reveal a small, metallic tunnel. “All right. Who wants to go first?”

“I'll go.” Leia climbed onto the dumbwaiter. “I'm the one who got us down here.”

“Wait up!” The Golden Eagle followed behind her. She heard the Crimson Hawk call his taller companion a big oaf and insist that there was nothing to worry about and that he'd fit just fine before joining his two friends. A jolt and a heavy weight in the back revealed that the tallest member of the group had, indeed, gone last. 

Leia felt like they'd been crawling for hours in the dark, dim hole. Her small, slender, dust-covered hands finally hit a wall. She managed to pull the bolts out, then loosen the wall enough to move it. She tumbled out into yet another hallway, this whitewashed and a bit brighter than the brig's hall.

The Golden Eagle grabbed the box from his trousers as Cedric's nasal British accent emerged. “Where are you now? We're hiding on the lower catwalks, across from the ship.”

“We're right above you.” The younger man spoke into the box, pressing small buttons. “We'll be down as soon as we can.”

Leia wrinkled her nose at the ship dangling from the ends of the Death Star. She'd seen broken furniture in better condition. “You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought.”

“Watch what you say about my baby, Your Grace.” The Crimson Hawk put his hands on his hips. “You should be grateful we're doin' this at all. They were just about to kill you.”

Leia glared at his goggles. “Must you remind me?”

“Shhh!” The taller soldier waved his hairy hand. “The guards are comin'!”

“We'll meet you there!” The Crimson Hawk barreled right into the soldiers, scattering them in all directions. The taller soldier just sighed, shrugged apologetically at the other two, and followed him.

Leia couldn't help admiring his long legs in those tight brown trousers. “He certainly has courage.”

“What good will it do him if he gets himself killed?” The Golden Eagle climbed onto the railing, pulling her with him, as more soldiers came in their direction. “I have an idea.” He threw open a window and tossed her his brass gun. “Hold this.”

The young duchess shot off a few lights as her companion tossed a rope with an old fishing hook attached to a pole that ran around the upper half of the ship, likely for use to tie up ships that wished to dock alongside it. Leia raised two slender eyebrows. “What are you doing?”

“Getting us out of here, before one or both of us gets shot.” The Golden Eagle grabbed her into his arms. He smelled of sweat and chemicals and, to Leia's surprise, fried fair food. “Hold on!”

She didn't know what compelled her to kiss him. She wasn't usually in the habit of randomly kissing boys, but he did look rather handsome, if a bit frightened. “Good luck!” The look on his face was pure surprise. He didn't seem to be accustomed to random duchesses kissing him, either.

Leia clutched the gun to her side, closing her eyes as tightly as she could. She willed herself to hold on and not look at the empty sky and river directly under them. Her feet in their whie button-down boots felt air and wind as they soared through the vast nothingness...then touched solid wood. 

The Golden Eagle shook her shoulder. “You can look down now, Your Grace.” When she forced her eyes open, they met a familiar pair of mischievous blue ones. “We're on the Falcon's upper deck.”

Unlike the sleek Death Star, the Falcon looked like an old sailing ship that just happened to be attached to a balloon instead of billowing sails, with wings made from lightweight wood on either side. Tubes filled with fizzing blue and green liquid puffed steam into a patched yellow and white linen shell. Otherwise, it could have been a pirate ship, like the ones she'd seen in her books on ships at home. The ship's wheel was missing a spoke, but the brass parts gleamed. It was old and splintered, and some metal bits were rusty. 

There were three cannons on either side...but they were made of brass rather than the usual dark metal, and were far more slender than most cannons were, more like larger versions of their guns. Thin tubes filled with the fizzy blue liquid ran up to the cannons.

Leia didn't like the look of it. “Does this hunk of junk actually run?”

“It not only runs, but it can out-run and out-fly anything on land or on sea.” The Golden Eagle gave her an almost apologetic grin. “That was my reaction when I first saw her, too. Trust me, she's a lot tougher than she looks.”

The young duchess sniffed. “I'll believe it when I see it.”

“Your Grace!” Cedric dashed onto the Falcon next, Rusty on his heels. “We're so glad you're safe!”

“I am, too.” Rusty joined The Golden Eagle at the crystal ball-like object that stood between the two tubes. The ball seemed to be spinning and almost fizzing with a crackling blue electricity. “Glad to see you kids made it. We have the plans, Your Grace. They're in the captain's cabin.”

“Kid!” The aforementioned captain and his first mate practically leaped over the gangplank and onto the ship. “Great, you're here. Is that everybody?”

“No!” The Golden Eagle's head whipped around wildly, scanning the outdoor decks for a familiar wizened face and brown hooded cape. “We're missing Be...The Negotiator.” 

Cedric had been helping the taller bandit pull up the one remaining rope that held the ship to the Death Star. The claws that had clutched the sides were now hanging loose against the larger ship. His lanky form happened to gaze over to the walkway on the outside of the ship...and see two forms, one completely black, one wearing a thick tan cloak, confronting one another. 

“Mr. Golden Eagle, sir,” Cedric tugged at the young man's blouse. “I believe that's the man you were asking about.” 

The youth couldn't help himself. He sprinted to the side of the ship, his mouth open in horror. The others joined him, except for The Crimson Hawk, who was pushing buttons and dials around the steering wheel, muttering about the old man being late for everything. 

“The Negotiator.” Vader's raspy hiss bellowed even over the hiss of the air in the balloons and the roar of the engines. “I've been waiting for you for a long time. I knew someday you would stop hiding behind the protection of Solo Shipping.” To Leia's surprise, he pulled out an electric sword similar to The Negotiator's. It's ruby-red shade glowed purple against his opponent's blue. “Did you think I wouldn't sense your presence? You and your apprentice. There's something about that lad...”

“I didn't want my employers involved.” Sir Kenton raised his electric sword, the tube-covered pack on his back fizzing and spitting. “This has nothing to do with them.”

“You should not have come back.” Vader lunged for him. The old man dodged him more nimbly than one might imagine a man in a heavy cape could do. 

“You can't win, Baron.” The Negotiator parried Vader's quick, hard thrusts. “If you strike me down, I'll become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.”

That seemed to enrage Vader further. For five minutes, the two went back and forth. Neither was willing to back down or give even a centimeter to his opposite. Even the Crimson Hawk joined them, putting his arm around his young friend's shoulders in comfort. 

The Negotiator was showing signs of tiring. He hadn't been quick to begin with, but after a few minutes, he was barely moving. Vader, however, was still on his feet. The black-clad mechanical man finally shoved his sword against his hooded opponent's throat. “Say hello to Padme for me, old man.” 

“NO!” The Golden Eagle let out a shriek of anguish as Vader's final thrust went straight through the man in the cloak. Leia's eyes widened as a mist of bright light seemed to surround the older man. When Vader pulled out his sword, he removed it from an empty cloak. The cloak fluttered down, down, through the spring breezes to the choppy river.

More soldiers followed Vader as the Crimson Hawk released the final rope. “Blast the door, kid!” The Hawk shouted as he took the steering wheel, navigating them slowly but surely away from the Death Star. The Golden Eagle shot the door, jamming the rest of Vader's men inside. The taller soldier handed Leia his gun and went to help his captain. Rusty shot one of the cannons. Cedric settled for hiding behind a barrel of water.

The moment they managed to shoot ahead of the Death Star, The Golden Eagle's knees gave out. He slumped down, his face in his hands. “He was my teacher,” the youth sobbed, “and my friend. He took care of me after my aunt and uncle died. I can't believe he's gone.”

Leia draped her own coat over his scarlet-clad shoulders. “There wasn't anything you could have done.”

“Come on, kid.” The Crimson Hawk shook his companion's shoulder, his own face troubled. “I'm sorry about the old man, too. I'm gonna miss that fossil. He was a good fighter, and probably the best manager I ever had. I can think of better ways to go than with an electrical sword in my gut.” He pointed behind them, off into the horizon, as Leia helped the youth to his feet. “We're not out of this yet. You can honor the old guy's memory by kicking the Coruscant Empire in the ass.”

“You bet I will!” The Golden Eagle took the cannon closest to him. Rusty and the Crimson Hawk took the remaining two. Leia joined the taller man at the controls. 

Leia just barely managed to tap the big pilot on the back of his shoulder. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Yes, miss.” He indicated the lever. “Keep an eye on the panel. Make sure we remain at an even keel. Watch the pressure gauges on the balloon. We may have to lower it to escape these blaggarts.”

Cedric tapped the Crimson Hawk on the shoulder. “Is there anything I might do, sir?”

“Yeah.” He nodded at a door into the room under the ship's wheel. “There's a box with a speaker in there. Looks like one of those new “telephone” things they're talking about now. Flip the big switch in the middle and see if you can get a hold of Rogue Three and the rest of my boys. We're gonna need a lot more help than this. There's a paper next to the transmitter with the signals and basic instructions.”

“Very well, sir.” Cedric pushed into the wooden door as Rusty turned to the others, spreading two wide blue papers covered with scrawling on the deck.

“Rustbucket, what are you doin'?” The Crimson Hawk was already positioning his cannon. “This is no time for light reading!”

“No, I know what he has in mind.” Leia bent down besides him. “Why do you think my...employers...wanted these blueprints? The airships in the Death Star battle cruiser line were built with a fundamental flaw in their engine.” 

Rusty nodded. “I looked them over when we were on our way here. There's a small thermal exhaust port that leads directly to the main engine, the one that creates the steam and boils Khyber liquid. A bullet or missile shot into the port may cause a chain reaction that'll cause the ship to explode.”

“How can we manage that?” The Crimson Hawk scratched his head. “That thing isn't more than two meters.”

“I used to hunt for deer on the edges of the Tatoonie badlands when I was younger.” The Golden Eagle shrugged. “Some of the older ones can get pretty close to two meters.”

The Crimson Hawk clapped his younger comrade on the shoulder. “Then it's all up to you, Junior. Rustbucket, the Rogues, and I will hold them off while you make the shot.”

“The Rogues?” Leia looked over her shoulder at the taller man. “Who are they? And how can they find us out here in the open air?”

“What do you think I sent Goldenrod to do in there, practice bird calls?” The Crimson Hawk jutted his black-gloved thumb at the door the butler went through. “The Rogues are the rest of the League of the Crimson Hawk. They'll come, don't worry.”

“Mates,” shouted the tall man from the steering wheel, “I hope you've finished your briefing, 'cause here comes trouble!” Even as he spoke, explosions and the sound of electricity sizzling could be heard from just behind them.

Leia looked over her own shoulder as she dashed for the controls. “Here they come!”

The Falcon flew fast, faster than the swiftest bird...but the Death Star was larger and faster. It was alongside the Falcon in minutes, electrical light cannons blazing in shades of ruby red that reminded Leia of bright blood. She barely held on as the cab slammed into theirs, knocking everyone to their feet.

“Kid,” The Crimson Hawk hollered, “concentrate on getting to that exhaust port. We'll keep them busy!”

“Right!” The Golden Eagle ducked under two electrical blasts and leaped over another. He grabbed the cannon at the very end of the ship, trying to gaze through the target sighter to find the tiny port. 

“I can't hold them off forever!” The Crimson Hawk just barely ducked another red blast. Two blasts went through the bottom windows, causing Rusty to abandon his post and rush down bellow with buckets of water and a belt laden with tools.

“They're coming in too fast!” The Golden Eagle's shots were quick, but the Death Star had the advantage of sheer size. Their cannons were twice as big as the ones on the Falcon. Shot after shot rocketed the small craft. 

Leia was nearly thrown overboard by one perfectly-aimed light beam. The hairy pilot barely managed to catch her before she went over the side. “Thank you!” He merely nodded and went back to the steering wheel. 

The Crimson Hawk frowned as Leia ducked two light beams and grabbed hold of a cannon. “How do you work this thing?”

Cedric's jaw nearly dropped. “Your Grace, I really don't think you should...”

“Here!” The Crimson Hawk flipped a lever. He lifted the cannon's target sighter to his eyes. “Aim, then push this button here.” His thumb pressed down on a button. A blue beam shot out, knocking one soldier over the railing.

“You mean like this?” Leia knew how to shoot. She was not only able to aim perfectly, but she took out five soldiers and two guns on her first try. There was a sly grin on her face when she looked over her shoulder at the others. “How was that?”

Cedric and the Crimson Hawk's jaws were nearly hitting the floor. “That was...very good, Your Grace,” the golden-haired butler finally sputtered.

“Yeah,” added the Hawk with his famous grin, “if you happen to be a gun-crazed soldier-warrior from Rambona.” 

Leia matched his smirk. “Uncle Bail used to take me around to see all the new battle ships being built. The soldiers thought I was cute and taught me how to work their guns. These aren't that much different from some of the newer ones.”

It was getting hard to see. Smoke obscured the narrow gulf between the two flying vehicles. Vader strode down to the cannon rooms, his cape floating behind him despite the lack of breeze. “Commander,” he told the soldier firing the largest cannon, “you will vacate that chair. I wish to deal with these interlopers myself.” 

“Yes, sir!” The man scrambled out as quickly as he could. Vader wasted no time. He shot three holes in the bottom of the vehicle, and two more in the deck. One just barely missed the youth in the attire of the Crimson Hawk. 

“I sense something about that lad,” he muttered, watching the boy as he aimed his cannon downwards. “The Force is strong with that one.”

He was just about to shoot the boy down when a bright blue electrical light shot a hole clean through the man next to him. Another took out the one on the other side. Vader was the closest he'd ever gotten to flabbergasted. “What's this?”

“Woohooo!” The Crimson Hawk's grin was splitting what could be seen of his face. “You're all clear, kid!”

More shots, these made from gunpowder, could be heard from the waters below them. “Look!” Leia grinned, waving over the sides. The Ghost glided across the river, followed by two heavily armored Alderaan battle cruisers. Her aunt and uncle and Mon Mothma almost seemed to wave back. If she squinted, she could see Kanan and Ezra shooting light beams from their own electrical swords at the Death Star's side. 

More laser beams came flying in from behind them, these orange or white. They tore holes in the back of the Death Star and took out five cannons. “Look out, folks!” The Crimson Hawk waved wildly at the smaller orange and white airship behind them. “The Calvary is here!” To Leia's surprise and delight, Ahsoka, Jyn, and Cassian manned the guns with three of the Crimson Hawk's men. The Golden Eagle smiled and waved at the hooded pilot in the white and orange outfit with wisps of black hair sticking out of his hood.

The Crimson Hawk turned to his younger friend. “Ok kid, let's blow this thing and go home.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Across the way, the Death Star was in a state of total panic. Many men had already started making for the life pods, ignoring the Governor's announcement that everything was fine and there would be no evacuation. 

“I think you should change your mind about that, sir,” insisted one officer. “They've already done considerable damage on the undercarriage and port sides, and seven of our cannons are gone.”

“Evacuate? In our moment of triumph?” Tarkin only smirked. “You underestimate their chances. They're missing two cannons, and the others likely won't arrive in time.”

Vader was starting to agree with the officer. He saw the young man in the Crimson Hawk's costume line his cannon up with the side of the Death Star. “What is he doing?”

The Golden Eagle was focusing on the target when he heard a voice. _Use the Force, my boy. Let go. Trust your instincts._ _Ben,_ he thought. The Negotiator. He never steered him wrong. 

“Uh, kid,” The Crimson Hawk said nervously, “what's goin' on?”

“Nothing. I'm ok.” He closed his eyes and focused for a moment, concentrating on his target. It came into view as Chewbacca pulled them alongside. He wasn't close, but it was close enough to see it. He finally shot off two large balls of electricity. He finally let out a breath as the balls hit their mark, flying right into the exhaust port. 

The Baron sensed the explosion before it actually began. Even as men were being knocked to the floor, he was joining the others already gathering in escape pods. He managed to push his way into the last one to leave before the side of the ship with the pods began to break apart.

The Falcon and its sister ship moved away in time to see the Death Star blow to bits in a spectacular explosion. Everyone on the Falcon moved to what remained of the rails around the main deck to watch. The Crimson Hawk threw himself around his friend. “Great shot, kid! That was one in a million!”

Leia nodded in agreement as she wrapped her arms around both men. “You were wonderful!”

The Golden Eagle didn't hear either of them. He couldn't help smiling at Ben's voice on the breeze. _The Force will be with you, always._

“Rusty!” Rusty lay on the ground, his face and upper body burned and bleeding. “He was hit by one of those beastly cannons.” Cedric turned towards a gentle man with a mustache under his hood and a black bag as the smaller ship pulled up alongside the Falcon. “Sir, are you a doctor? I'll gladly donate any organs or skin necessary to save him!”

The doctor patted Cedric on the back. “He'll be all right. Just burns and cuts. Ol' Rustbucket's lucky. If he'd been an inch or two closer, that blast might have taken him out.”

“Leia!” Ahsoka, Jyn, and Cassian pushed past men in red shirts. “Thank god you're all right. Your uncle and aunt have been worried sick about you!”

“We saw the Death Star take off,” Jyn explained breathlessly, “and thought it would be best to get help.”

“I found Mon Mothma looking for the rest of you at the fair.” Ahsoka nodded. “We saw the Death Star taking off and went to get help.”

“Si.” Cassian waved at the men in red coming in behind them. “We meet these gentlemen coming here as we were leaving palace grounds. Did we want ride? Are we on side of Duchess? Yes, we are, and yes we did.”

The Crimson Hawk smirked. “You're a good shot there, pal. We might have to talk technique sometime.”

Cassian shook his hand. “Gracias, senor. You are quite good yourself. We may meet again. My Jyn and I, we have decided to remain.”

Leia frowned. “I thought you were going back to Barcelona.”

“We decided we could be of more use here, after everything that happened.” Jyn's tanned face looked grave. “We'll honor Dad and the others by continuing their work, not by running out like cowards.”

Ahsoka put her arms around them. “Meet my newest assistants. They'll be covering local events with me as a reporter and photographer, including the Royal Regatta and the coronation.”

“I will do all interviews. I used to be reporter in Barcelona, before I have...problem with government in Spain. Jyn, she will learn to take photos.”

Jyn shrugged. “I'm not so great with people. I'll let Cass handle that.” 

The Golden Eagle was grinning ear to ear. He hugged Leia, who gave him a kiss on his cheek. “Did you see that shot?”

She grinned. “You were wonderful!”

The Crimson Hawk wrapped his longer arms around both. “I wasn't gonna let you get all the credit and reward, Junior.”

Leia turned her grin upwards. “I knew there was more to you than money, Crimson Hawk!”

The two airships landed along the banks of the Calamari River, near the harbor. Leia ran straight for her aunt and uncle's arms the moment she got off the docks. “Lelita!” Bail caught his niece in his arms and swung her around like a child. “Thank heavens you're safe. When we saw the Death Star go down, we feared the worst.” Even as Bail spoke, bells were going off in the distance as fire boats, police officers, and members of the Naboo Navy hurried out to the wreckage to clear the debris and check for survivors. 

Those who escaped in the pods were already being helped into waiting carriages or Naval boats. Baron Vader pushed past two officers who tried to help him aboard. The entire crew gave him a wide berth as he strode to the captain's quarters, his cape flapping in the non-existent breezes. 

“Oh, thank you!” Breha gave her niece a squeeze, then beamed at the men before her. “Thank you so much for bringing our niece back to us!”

Bail turned to address the Crimson Hawk and his men. “Gentlemen, I'm in your debt. You rescued my niece from an unspeakable fate and kept worse damage from occurring in Alderaan. Whatever you ask, it's yours.”

The Golden Eagle spoke before his older leader could. “All we ask is for enough money to bury our poor friend Be...The Negotiator, who was killed fighting Baron Vader.”

The Crimson Hawk gave him his famous lazy smirk. “And maybe a little for travel expenses.”

“Done.” Bail frowned. “I'm sorry about your friend. No amount of money could bring him back,” he handed him a wad from his pocket, “but maybe this will do for a decent burial.”

The Crimson Hawk counted the money, his grin still on his face. “Yeah, this will be enough to give the old fos...the old man a funeral fit for a king.” He stuffed the money in his own pocket. “And now, I'm afraid we have to be goin'. Places to go, things to see, ya know. Thanks again, Your Grace. You're pretty decent, for a Duke.”

Bail smiled. “And you're not a bad fellow, for a bandit.”

Leia followed him up the gangplank to the Falcon's main deck. “You're just leaving?”

He smirked. “You want me to stay,” the Hawk insisted, “because of the way you feel about me.”

“Well, you did rescue me. You're a natural leader.” Leia managed to glare daggers at him, despite being a foot shorter. “You could do great things for Naboo...”

“Spare me any talk about any crazy rebellions. I'm in this for me n' Junior.” He wiggled a finger at her. “Besides, that's not it.” 

“You? You think we...I...” She glared at him. “You're just a half-witted, scruffy-looking, sheep-herder!”

The Crimson Hawk glared down at her. “Who's scruffy-looking?” He turned to the Golden Eagle, who rolled his eyes behind them. “Must have gotten her pretty riled up back there to get all loud like this.”

She glared right back. “I guess you don't know everything about women yet.” She grabbed the Eagle and kissed him as hard as she could, ignoring the Hawk's lack of amusement.

Breha frowned as her daughter stormed down the gangplank. “What was that all about, dear?”

“Nothing.” She grabbed her aunt's arm. “Come on. All I want now is to spend the rest of the night soaking in a cool bathtub.”

The Golden Eagle wiped his cheek. “I'm never going to wash my lips again.” He saw the look on his friend's face out of the corner of his eye. If he could have literally been green with jealousy, he would have. “You like her.”

“Her?” The Hawk grimaced in Leia's direction. “No, I don't!” The younger man just raised his eyebrows. “Well, ok, maybe I do. Maybe I like her a lot.” He grabbed the wheel as the towering man who still wore his Imperial officer's armor started tying up the balloon. “It doesn't matter, anyway. We'll be leaving as soon as we can make that money.”

“Han,” the Golden Eagle said as he joined his friend, “why didn't you take the full reward?”

“The old guy deserves a decent burial, even if we just bury his sword pack.” The Hawk finished the knots, then began to gather debris from the battle. “We'll find other ways to make that money. There's still a lot of big events this summer we could raid. The Royal Regatta is in the end of July, and there's the coronation and Gala Ball a few weeks after that.”

“I don't know, Han.” The taller man joined them, tying the other side of the balloon. “I don't think Jenkins is playing games. The next time, he'll probably send someone a lot more cunning than Gredono.”

“I've dodged Jenkins for this long. We can go another month.” The Hawk put his arm around his third-in-command. “And then, we'll leave for America, all right?”

The Golden Eagle sighed. “I wish you didn't have to leave. What am I going to do without you? I don't know anything about ruling a country.”

“You'll figure it out, kid. Even without Ol' Ben. You've got brains and guts, more than Palpatine ever did.” The Hawk grinned at his manservant. “Everyone ready to go? We have to pick up our marvels of the age and Rusty's carvings at the Palace grounds, then talk to a funeral home about arrangements for burying Ben.”

Leia and her parents watched as the two ships rose majestically into the air. “You know,” Ahsoka began, “I don't think the Crimson Hawk is as bad as he wants everyone to think he is.”

Jyn nodded. “He did give us a ride.”

“He's an idiot.” Leia made a face. “All we did the entire time we were together was argue.”

Breha sighed. “It did seem rather romantic.” She put an arm around Bail. “Rather like the time you saved me from a vicious pack of bandits when we were traveling in Sullustia once.” 

Bail gathered his wife and niece into his arms. “Remind me to tell you about that sometime. It was as close as we've ever come to living those romantic adventure stories you love so much, Lelita.”

Hera and her crew met them at the docks. “Are you all right, Your Grace? When we heard about what happened at the fair, we feared the worst.”

“We're fine, Captain.” Cedric handed Mon Mothma the book as she arrived. “And we brought something that...well, something you'll appreciate. From a friend.”

“Oh, don't worry.” Hera and the others all pulled badges with the silhouette of a mythical phoenix emblazoned on the front. “We all know about the Rebel Society. Why do you think Senator Mothma wanted us to drive her today?”

Mon Mothma peered in the book, giving Leia a grateful smile. “Thank you, Your Grace. All of you.”

“Not just me.” Leia nodded behind her. “The Crimson Hawk and the Golden Eagle deserve a lot of the credit. The Golden Eagle was the one who managed to get that shot into the exhaust port. Rusty and Cedric do, too. They kept the book from Vader and his men.”

“Where are they?” Mon Mothma turned around, expecting to see men in red, black, and gold. “I want to thank the Crimson Hawk and the Golden Eagle and their men personally, too. Miss Tano, Captain Andorez, Miss Erso, and their men were the ones who lead us here.”

“They already left.” As she pointed out the two vehicles, Leia could see the Falcon's cobbled-together fin in the air, going back towards Naboo. “They never even really said good bye.” The young duchess waved, her voice dropping to a whisper. “See you at home...Luke, Henry. You too, Charles.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A week after her uncle leaves for Alderaan, Leia has familiar visitors who inspire her to do a little research on the Jedi and on Luke's familiar fencing style.

Leia was taken back to Chalindria Court. Other than still feeling a bit light-headed from the drugs and the adrenaline from her amazing escape wearing off, she was fine. Cedric and Chester “Chopper” Charleton, Hera's grouchy old navigator in the patched suit, got Rusty to the hospital. He had two broken ribs, but it was mostly bad burns and bruises. He was released to Corellia Manor, where Cedric's attempts to take care of his friend were met with anything from curt refusal to ordering Charles to throw him out bodily.

Bail returned to Alderaan the next day to deal with the destroyed shipyards and harbor and discuss what should be done about it with his senate. He ordered his valet to pack his bags the moment they returned to their rooms. His wife and niece wished he could stay, but they needed his wise leadership. 

“I'm sorry, Leilita,” he told her the next morning, “but they need me at home. You stay here and enjoy the rest of your vacation. I'll hopefully be back in time for the Diamond Jubilee Gala Ball.”

Leia hugged him as hard as she could. “I'm going to miss you, Uncle Bail.”

“I will, too.” Breha hugged his other side, kissing him full on the lips. “Please, be careful. I'm not ready to lose you yet.”

Leia nodded. “And watch out for spies and bandits on the road, not to mention Vader's army. I saw the newspaper this morning. Tarkin's dead. He went down with the Death Star. Prime Minister Palpatine gave Vader his duties, including the running of the Theed province.”

“I will. I'll come back when I can. I promise.” Bail kissed his wife once more for good measure before letting his valet help him into Mon Mothma's carriage. Mon Mothma assured him that the Ghost would take him back across the river and Ezra would return him to Alderaan.

Leia spent the next week exploring Chalindra Court and its grounds, spending most of her time in the extensive library. She tried to focus on Jane Eyre, but she couldn't concentrate. She kept thinking about the week before and wondering about the Crimson Hawk and Golden Eagle and their men. She had a pretty good idea of who they were, but there were so many questions she wanted to ask them! Why did they hide themselves? Why did they work alone, instead of with the Rebel Society? What were the really up to? 

She was just returning the book to the shelf when Cedric shuffled in. “Two gentleman callers for you, Your Grace. Mr. Solo and Mr. Skywalker are here to see the ladies of Chalindria Court.”

Henry and Luke were already talking to her aunt and Mon Mothma in the main parlor when she arrived. You'd never know either man had likely spent time the week before running around airships and fairs and swinging across catwalks. Luke sported a soft blouse and tan cotton trousers with brown suede boots, a cotton cap resting on the table before him. Henry's pale blue suit was impeccably tailored. The ever-present gold-rimmed glasses perched on the end of his nose. He balanced his bird-topped cane between two long, tapered fingers, then ran one hand through his slicked-back red-brown hair. 

“Leia!” Luke hastened to her side the moment she stepped in the room. “Duchess Breha told us what happened! Are you ok? Did they hurt you?”

“She doesn't look so bad to me.” Henry's smile was genuine. “After that fencing demonstration last week, I'm surprised anyone would have the courage to carry you off, Your Grace. I'd be afraid of losing fingers, or worse, getting a blade in the heart.”

“I'm fine boys, really.” Cedric pulled out one of the wicker chairs for her. “It was a terrible experience, but it's over now.”

Mon Mothma shook open the _Theed Daily Star_. “It's been the talk of the papers, at least what they can report, censorship being what it is in Naboo. It's a great blow for Palpatine and Vader. Of the fifty men who worked on the Death Star, twenty were saved, Vader among them. They found Tarkin's remains in at least three rooms. He must have been close to the blast when it went down.”

Leia read over Mon Mothma's shoulder. “There's a second Death Star airship?”

“Yes.” Mon Mothma showed her the article. “Vader intended to create a whole fleet before Erso defected. The second one was still being worked on when the shipyard went up in flames. They got it out before much damage could be done, but it'll be at least a month or more before it's ready.”

“Good.” Henry frowned. “Vader and his goons are giving airships a bad name. They could do a lot more with them than turning them into floating death traps.”

“I agree.” Breha sighed. “It's too bad the Death Star did go up in flames. Bail and I got to walk around a little before all the commotion started. The design really was fascinating, how they managed to squeeze so much into such a compact space. We could learn a thing or two in our own battle ships.”

Cedric brought them all tall, cool glasses of lemonade and fancy tea cookies. “You know,” Leia began, hiding her smirk behind her lemonade glass, “I'd love to know what happened to you two after the fuss started. I saw you in line for the airship, but that was the last time either of you were around for the rest of the day.”

Luke blushed the color of spring strawberries, but Henry remained cool. “We just got out in time, Your Grace,” Henry explained, “before all that foolishness with the Crimson Hawk began. Rusty told us about it later.” 

“That's right.” The younger man attempted to copy his guardian's nonchalant tone. “We had to protect our machinery and Rusty's carvings.”

Henry spoke up before Leia could ask any more questions. “Actually, Your Grace, we came to ask you and your mother for a ride on the river and a picnic with us tomorrow. It's supposed to be hot and beautiful, too hot to be in the workshop.”

Mon Mothma raised her eyebrows. “What brought this on, Mr. Solo? You're not usually so friendly.”

“It was the kid's idea.” Henry sipped his lemonade, but he was really eyeing Leia. “None of you have really seen much of our fair country. We thought you might like a nicer view of Naboo, before Charles and I leave.”

“Leave?” Breha looked surprised. “You're leaving? When?”

“We don't know yet.” Henry handed the empty glass to Cecil, who took it on a silver tray. “My interests here are pretty much finished here, but there one thing I have to do first.”

Luke sighed. “Henry, I really wish you wouldn't go. I'm going to miss you. Someone has to help me bury poor Ben and take care of Corellia Manor.”

Mon Mothma put her own lemonade glass down. “I'm truly sorry about Sir Kenton. I knew him when he was one of the most decorated members of the Jedi Guards. He was a good man.”

“So did we.” Breha nodded. “Bail knew him better than I did, but I heard stories about his exploits with Baron Skywalker and Lady Tano.” She turned to Luke. “Are you related to Baron Skywalker? A cousin, perhaps? You do look a great deal like him. Same blue eyes, same smile, even.”

Luke stared at his lemonade glass. “He was my father. Ben...Sir Kenton told me that Baron Vader killed him for his titles and power.” He looked up, his red-rimmed eyes determined and angry. “I'm going to avenge him. I already have by destroying the Death Star. No one else should die the way Father and Ben did, or like the people in those shipyards Vader destroyed.”

“Me too.” Leia gently took his hand. “Jy...someone told me about the casualties at the Erso Shipyards. Almost the entire area was wiped out. The papers said Drana Harbor in Alderaan is little more than fire and dust. I'll do whatever it takes to keep this from happening again.” Leia gently squeezed his hand as he gave her a weary smile. Henry coughed and turned away. Breha grinned. Mon Mothma raised an eyebrow but said nothing. 

“Please come on a picnic with us tomorrow!” Luke's smile was sweet and genuine. “We'll go in our rowboats. Our ship is in the shop.”

“The Falcon is always in the shop.” Mon Mothma rolled her eyes. “Is that rubbish bin ever on the water?” Leia started at the reference to the ship being named “the Falcon.” That was the Crimson Hawk's ship!

“Hey, she's a good old girl.” Henry made a face. “She just needs a few more tweaks, and she'll be fine.”

“You said that the last time I asked about her three months ago, and a year before that.” Mon Mothma bit into a sugar-covered tea biscuit. “Face it, Henry, it's time you retired her. I know at least three or four good yacht sellers who would give you a fair price...”

“No way. I'm never sellin' my baby. I've put too much time and money into her.” Henry swallowed his own biscuit. “I've made a lot of special modifications myself.” 

Luke grinned. “I helped some, too. So did Rusty.” He had three biscuits on his plate and reached for another. “It took the three of us and Charles just to fix the holes leftover from when it was a pirate ship."

“The Crimson Hawk had an airship.” Leia watched Henry out of the corner of her eye. “It was a patched-up mess, but the cannons seemed to work. I've never seen cannons like the ones on the Falcon and the Death Star. They shot balls of light instead of balls of powder.”

Henry's face went rigid. “Very interestin'. No, my airship won't have guns, Your Grace. It'll be for haulin' cargo.” His voice sounded strained. “Let's go, kid. We'll pick you up tomorrow mornin' at 10, Your Graces.”

“Right.” Luke immediately went to Henry's side, helping him to his feet...but he waved at Leia the moment his guardian was able to stand. “See you tomorrow, Leia!”

She couldn't help her grin. “You too, Luke!” 

“There's something strange about those two.” Mon Mothma handed the last lemonade glass to Cedric. “I've felt that way for a long time. Henry sequesters himself in that workshop of his for weeks on end. The only time I ever see him is when he's making a deal for his company or accompanying Skywalker to some boxing match or fencing exhibition. I know he's been focusing on his new engine, but there must be more to it than that.”

“I agree.” Breha nodded. “Did you see the way he clammed up when we started talking about airships?”

“He told me a few weeks ago that he's working on some kind of secret project. I'm assuming it's the airship engine.” Mon Mothma wiped her lips on a soft white damask napkin. “Breha, perhaps you and Leia should accept the invitation. It could be vital to the Rebel Society. Many wealthy Coruscant merchants and nobles who own factories hire Solo Shipping to transport their products. If he's not up to something, he may have valuable information. Not to mention, there's what he has planned for his airship.”

“Maybe it isn't any of our business.” The words tumbled out of Leia's mouth before she could stop them. “Henry can be rude, but Luke's done nothing wrong..”

“I'm worried about both of them.” The senator pushed the napkin aside. “Vader may already realize that Luke is related to Baron Skywalker. He may be busy with the repairs to the second Death Star Airship now, but once he figures out the son of the man he killed is searching for revenge, the boy may be in grave danger.”

She stood, dusting powdered sugar off her pale yellow and green suit. “I want you two to keep an eye on Henry and Luke. I know they have Charles, but if Vader is already after Luke, they may need more help than even a big Wookie native can provide.” She sighed. “Henry's turned down all requests to help Naboo other than his business concerns, but I'm hoping we can somehow change his mind and get him to join the Rebel Society. He may be a great asset...if he can be trusted. He did used to be a pirate.”

“But he isn't now.” Leia got up as well. “I'll do it. I've been wanting to get out and see the countryside. I am still on vacation. I'm bored stiff, cooped up in here. It's been too hot to hide inside.”

“I agree.” Breha gathered her fan. “I think we need a day on the river. Get our mind off Bail and the shipyards and your abduction. Might as well make the most of it while Vader's attention is elsewhere.”

“Leia,” Mon Mothma began, “did the Crimson Hawk or any of his men tell you anything while you were with them? Did you see anything that would give away his identity, or that of the Golden Eagle?”

“Hmm?” The younger woman looked up from snitching the last tea cake on the plate. “The Crimson Hawk? No,” she insisted between bites, “not really. They never took off their hoods and helmets. Their voices sounded familiar,” she admitted, then quickly added “but I really can't put my finger on where I've heard them before.”

“We'll both keep an eye on them.” Breha laughed. “Wouldn't it be delightful if young Skywalker was the Crimson Hawk, doing all this behind his surly guardian's back? He does cut a rather romantic figure in flowing white shirts. I saw part of that fencing demonstration at the fair. He looked like one of the Jedi at the height of their power and notoriety.” 

“The Jedi?” Leia turned to Mon Mothma. “Where can I find books on the Jedi?”

“Oh, I must have a few books on them floating around in my collection.” Mon Mothma gathered her purse. “You're free to read as many as you'd like. I'm afraid I have to go. I have a meeting with several other senators to discuss increasing the security on the roads for the Royal Regatta and the coronation.”

“I think I'll join you.” Breha gathered her own beaded purse. “As Bail's proxy while he's in Alderaan, it's my duty to keep abreast of all important matters abroad.”

“I'll be in the library if you need me.” Leia licked the last of the crumbs from her lips. 

“Don't be there all day, dear.” Breha ruffled her hair. “Try to get outside and enjoy some fresh air, too.”

“I will.” Leia had to admit, her aunt was right. It was a beautiful day, hot and sunny. She ended up taking her books out to a shady bench in the garden, the very spot where she and the Crimson Hawk kissed the week before.

The Hawk's pendant hung on a gold filigree chain around her neck. Her slender fingers moved her pale blue floral dress, with it's high neck and wide lace collar. It had been there ever since the party last week. She meant to give it to him when he rescued her, but there wasn't time. 

She was almost entirely certain she knew who they were. Their voices were more than familiar. She'd heard them the night before at the ball. The question was, why were Luke, Charles, and Henry doing this? What did they stand to gain from it? She knew Henry did business with Naboo merchants and Coruscant Imperials alike. If anything, he'd lose business. 

There was also the fact that The Golden Eagle was a Jedi, or had been taught by a Jedi. Benjamin Kenton, or the Negotiator, was a Jedi. Luke and the Golden Eagle shared an almost identical fencing style. Leia not only saw it. She'd fought it. No, she'd bested it. 

According to the three books she found, the Jedi had been the Royal family's guards and the defenders of the peace in Naboo for hundreds of years. They had begun as a religious order during medieval times. It was only in the Renaissance era that they aligned themselves with the king and queen of Naboo and took up arms to defend themselves and their monarchs. One book even stated that the Jedi's command of the khyber crystals that only they knew how to control gave them supernatural powers, including telekinesis and empathy. They also created the electrical light swords that allowed them to not only take part in combat, but cut through metal or wood and light their way in the dark. 

“It is them! It has to be.” Luke told her Sir Kenton was teaching him fencing. His style was identical to the Jedi techniques she'd read in the books. The books claimed Baron Anakin Skywalker one of the Jedi Guards, before he became the consort of the Queen Padme. The nature of their relationship was often questioned, especially after she became pregnant. It said nothing about him being killed by Vader, only that he'd disappeared after joining the Coruscant Army and had been great friends with Prime Minister Palpatine.

Leia tucked the books under her arm as her aunt's voice floated over the treetops. “Leia, time to come inside! We're about to have dinner!”

“I'll be right there, Aunt Breha!” She wasn't ready to tell her aunt and Mon Mothma her findings yet. Not until she had proof without a doubt that she was right, and two of the most respected business owners in Naboo moonlighted as the ring leaders of Naboo's most notorious group of bandits.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leia and Breha enjoy a long, peaceful trip downriver with Luke, Henry, and Charles...but some of the back story they reveal isn't as pleasant.

“Welcome to the river, Your Worship.” Charles helped Leia into a lovely white and red row boat, then gently lowered Henry in. Luke stepped in afterwards. Breha and Charles were traveling in a second row boat with the picnic basket, blanket, and chairs. It was a beautiful day for a picnic, sunny, bright, and hot. A soft breeze ruffled the glossy green leaves on the trees and the blue and lavender wildflowers in the meadows along the river banks. 

Breha protested Leia traveling without a chaperon, but Henry just waved his hand. “We'll be perfect gentlemen, Your Grace. Besides, you'll be right behind us. There will be no funny business.”

“There better not be.” Leia glared at them under her wide-brimmed white straw hat, with its big pink blossoms and lace netting trim. Her cotton dress was white with a dainty pink flower print, tight lace sleeves, and a large bow in the back. “My parasols are specially made to be weapons. Either of you try anything, this will be on your head in an instant.”

Henry's smirk was out in full force as Luke began rowing. “Wouldn't dream of it, Your Worship.”

Leia glared at him. “Would you please stop calling me that?!”

“Sure, Leia.” He shrugged. “You could be a little nicer, you know. Admit it. Sometimes, you think I'm all right.”

“Occasionally, maybe.” She made a face. “When you're not acting like a scoundrel.”

“Scoundrel?” Henry's grin widened. “I like the sound of that.” 

“Ok, ok, you two.” Luke chuckled and shook his head. “Enough with the flirting.”

“Flirting? Me? With him? Never.” Leia turned her back on Henry, concentrating on the sights around them. “It really is beautiful here. It's hard to believe this land has been the sight of so much war. It seems so peaceful.”

“It does, until you see the ruins. Some of them are pretty recent.” Luke nodded at the view before them. The meadows gave way to what appeared to be, at first, an extravagant abbey. As they drew closer, Leia realized with a shock that it was only the wall of a series of tumble-down stones. A few other walls, three stone arches, and a tower remained, enough to give the impression that this had once been a place of importance and considerable refinement.

“What happened here?” Leia whispered. Even Henry fell silent as the boat floated by. 

Luke's voice was quiet, but oddly hard. “This was the main headquarters of the Jedi Guards. It was where they lived, where they trained and taught new guards. Ben told us what happened. When Coruscant marched in, this is one of the first place they attacked. Prime Minister Palpatine claimed the Jedi had betrayed the people and the Royal Family to the Coruscant Empire. All of them but a few – including Ben – died that night, in the fire or defending the Royal Family.”

Leia's brown eyes darkened. “Uncle Bail told me about this. He was friends with several Jedi. He saw the children they were training die. He tried to save as many as he could, but most were killed by Palpatine's top man then.”

“Yeah.” Henry coughed. “Hey kid, are we going to get to the Great Meadow one of these days, or what?”

“Huh?” Luke's blue eyes had a far-away look to them. He shook his head, bringing himself down to Earth. “Oh, yeah, right. We should be there in a few minutes. It's just around the next bend.”

The Great Meadow was aptly named. It stretched on forever, rolling hills laden with nothing but flowers, a dirt road, and the occasional tree. The colorful wildflowers carpeted the vibrant green grass with a wave of royal purple, deep magenta, snow white, sun gold, poppy red, and cornflower blue. Despite his protests, Charles insisted on carrying Henry to a wooden folding chair he'd brought in the other boat. Breha occupied the other chair. Leia and Luke spread out an old, faded pink calico quilt. 

The Grand Duchess pulled off her pale blue jacket, letting the breeze ruffle the lace collar of her white blouse. “I'm glad we did this. It's much cooler here by the river than at the manors or in town.”

“Food tastes better when it's eaten outdoors, anyway.” Leia dropped a watercress and chicken sandwich in her lap as she took in the view. “This is gorgeous. It's like one of those postcards they sell at gift shops in Aldra of Switzerland or France.” 

“Ain't been there in a long time.” Henry leaned back in his chair. “Switzerland was a good country. Lotta mercenaries come from there. I once had to take a shipment of cheese from Bergen down to Germany.” He looked over his shoulder at his former shipmate. “Remember that, Charles? Remember the time we hauled cheese in Switzerland?”

“How could I forget?” Charles rolled his eyes under his mass of brown hair. “We almost lost our cargo to pirates who thought we were carrying real gold wheels, rather than the edible kind.”

“Yeah,” Henry laughed, “and Lance tossed one of the crates right in their faces. One of the men left it open, and oh boy, was it ripe! You could smell it half-way down the Rhine. Got rid of those pirates pretty quick.”

Charles wrinkled his long nose. “We also had to all sleep on the top deck for the rest of that voyage because the cheese stank up the hold, and then the cabins.”

“But we got most of it where is was going.” Henry bit into an apple. “Made some pretty decent cash on that trip, too.”

Leia smiled as she poured herself a glass of lemonade. “I'll bet you have many stories about your pirating days.”

“Oh, he does.” Luke took the jar from Leia and poured himself one. “Charles and I have probably heard each and every one six times.”

“Mate,” the towering manservant reminded him between bites of chicken sandwich, “I don't need to hear them. I lived most of 'em!”

“Leia and I haven't!” Breha bit into a strawberry. “I wouldn't mind hearing them. I loved it when my father told me stories of how he fought pirates in the Aldra Navy as a young man.”

“I wouldn't mind hearing them.” Leia handed Luke an apple when he tried to reach across the blanket.

“Ok, then.” Henry took a jam and butter sandwich. “There she was, the Falcon caught between the Sullust Navy and the personal barge of Jenkins Huttman, the lowest and ugliest scum ever to ply the Rivers of the Alliance...”

It was a truly delightful afternoon. They listened to Henry's stories of his many adventures as a pirate, escaping the royal navies, other pirates, and bounty hunters after the price on their heads. Charles would pop in with his own observations from time to time.

After lunch, Breha, Charles, Luke, and Leia played badminton, using a fallen log as a net. Leia hadn't laughed so hard in years. Luke would leap, jump, and lunge dramatically every time the birdie came his way. More often than not, he'd trip over his own feet and tumble into the wildflowers. Charles' swings were long and powerful. He often forgot his own strength, hitting the birdie over Luke and Leia's heads and into the woods or the grass. They'd have to call the game briefly to search for it.

Henry remained where he was, either sitting on the chair or, with Luke and Charles' help, on the blanket. He laughed as much as anyone when Luke missed the birdie again and ended up with a face full of daisies, or Leia nearly fell over trying to hit one of Charles' massive returns. Leia watched him out of the corner of her eye. The only time she'd ever seen him look this happy was when he'd talked about his beloved engine at the party last week.

They all ended the day back on the blankets as the sun slowly began sinking behind the pine trees on the hills. “Gentlemen, I can't thank you enough.” Breha smiled as she helped Charles gather the picnic things. “This was a wonderful outing.” 

Leia was picking wildflowers. “I can't remember the last time I had this much fun.” She gathered two more daisies. “These will look so nice in the main parlor at Chalindria Court, or in my bedroom.”

“I had a nice time, too. It feels good to get away from the office for a while.” Henry gave Leia his lazy grin. “You know, you haven't really seen the town yet, Your Grace.” He turned to Breha. “You either, ma'am. My boys and I could show you Naboo from top to bottom.”

Luke nodded eagerly. “There's so many wonderful places we could visit! There's the ruins of the old Bast Castle near the coal mines at Mufasar and the big Gothic church in Dantoonie and the amusement park at Ord Mandell and...”

“Whoa, Junior!” Henry laughed. “We'll catch it all. Might as well see the sights before Charles an' I leave.”

“Do you really have to go?” Leia glanced up from her bouquet. “Can't you just send Charles to the US?”

Henry leaned back in the chair. “Sorry, Your Grace, but I have some old debts I need to pay off, not to mention a few enemies from my pirating days I wouldn't mind avoiding.”

“But that was years ago!” Breha gathered her folding chair. “Surely none of them would be after you now.”

“You'd be surprised how long these fellows hold a grudge.” Charles lifted Henry easily into his sinewy arms, then turned to the women. “I once knew a man who was dunked in a block of cement ten years after he'd run out on a deal with one of the mobsters in Tatoonie.”

“Tatoonie?” Leia placed her bouquet in the basket. “You've been there? Is it really as wild and lawless as everyone says it is?”

“Yes, it is.” Luke looked up from folding the blanket. “I was raised there by my Uncle Owen and Aunt Berta. They had a little grain farm a few miles outside of Anchorhead. It was a rough life, and kind of boring, really. I wanted to go to school, but Uncle Owen never had the money. The governor took most of it for taxes.”

The younger duchess shivered as she pulled a light knitted wrap around her shoulders. Though the days were much warmer, the evenings remained chilly. “What happened to them, Luke? How did you come to live with Henry?” She saw Luke's eyes darken. “I'm sorry. I know that's a personal question, but...”

“They died.” Luke's voice broke, caught in his throat. “Rusty was a handyman, used to work for a couple of different farms, including ours. One day, we went out into the desert to deliver some parts to Ben. He kind of a hermit in those days. When I got back to the farm, there was nothing left.” 

The tears flowed, unbidden, down his rosy cheeks. Henry handed him a clean cotton handkerchief, which he took gratefully. “The Coruscant Army burned it to the ground. They knew who I was...who they were. My aunt and uncle hadn't been able to pay their taxes in months. Ben and I found their bodies in the rubble, filled with bullet holes.” Leia put her arms around him as he sobbed. “I wasn't there...never had the chance to stop them, or even say good-bye...”

“You poor boy!” Breha's motherly instinct took over as she made her way to Luke, throwing her arms around him. “That must have been terrible, coming home one day to find everything you'd ever known gone.”

“I lost my parents, too,” Leia admitted. “I never knew them. Uncle Bail and Aunt Breha took me in as an infant. I was told they died when Coruscant invaded Naboo.”

“And we never regretted it for a second.” Breha hugged both of them. “We won't let anyone else die they way your aunt and uncle did. Bail's seeing to it even now.”

“Like he...heck we won't.” Henry lifted his chin stubbornly as Charles gathered the slender man into his arms. “I'll see to it that you get everythin' you deserve, Junior. Charles, too. You can count on us.”

“Thanks, everyone.” Luke blew his nose. “It was three years ago, but I guess I never got over it.”

“I keep tellin' ya, kid. You gotta move forward.” Charles gently set Henry in the larger row boat. “And speaking of movin' forward, it's getting dark. The river's not nearly as romantic at night.” He gave Leia the famous grin as she climbed in on the other side. “But it can be very romantic during the day. We could take Wedge's boat the Swift Wing down to Theed and Lothal and start our exploration of Naboo there tomorrow.”

“I'd love to.” Leia looked over her shoulder at her aunt. “If you don't mind, Aunt Breha.”

Her aunt nodded as Charles helped her in. “I've been wanting to do some shopping in Theed, anyway. I heard their dress shops are second to none in Naboo.” 

“All right, then.” Henry nodded as Luke climbed in. “We'll meet you ladies at the docks at 10 AM.”

“Henry,” Leia began as Luke took the oars, “there's something I've been wanting to ask you.”

“Yeah, sweetheart?” He put his cane aside, settling on a pillow on the bench.

“Could I...see your engine again?” Leia gave him her most charming smile. “I didn't really get to inspect it at the fair.”

“Sure, Your Worshipfulness.” He gently took her hand and rubbed it. “We could even make a party of it. You, your aunt, even Senator Mothma.”

“I don't know about Aunt Breha, but I'd love to go.” Leia gave him her most charming smile. “I want to know everything about what you've been doing. A lot of people are asking questions. They want to know why you keep to yourself, why you won't join any of the people who are fighting to make change in this country. You could be a great asset. They need your help.”

“Because the only business I care about is my own.” Henry finally dropped her hand, turning away. “I just want to help a friend and leave, that's all. I already lost the best manager I ever had to Vader. I don't want to lose anything else.” Luke snorted, but said nothing. Henry shook Luke's shoulder. “Hey kid, why don't you speed things up a little? We don't exactly have a lantern on us. If we run into anything after dark, it's on you.”

Luke rolled his eyes. “Henry, I've been navigating the rivers for years. I know where we're going.”

“Yeah, but you're usually with your buddy Wedge.” Henry's grin plainly indicated that he was aware of his ward's relationship with the captain. “By the way, how is Wedge? What's he up to today?”

“He was hired by old Admiral Ackbar to take him out to Hoth Harbor to start preparing for the Royal Regatta next month.” Luke's smile was dreamy. “We're going to get together tomorrow evening for dinner on board his ship. He makes such a good fish and chips! And then, we might even enjoy time in his stateroom...” The young man blinked when he realized Henry and Leia were both staring at him. “I mean,” Luke stammered, “we enjoy each others' company when we're together.”

“Have a great time, Junior. You know I don't care what you do with Antilles. He's a good man.” Henry turned brazenly to Leia, leering at her. “I know who I'd rather be spending my dinner with.”

“Maybe someday,” Leia retorted, “you'll find the type of woman who enjoys your singular company.”

Henry leaned back, that grin still on his face. “I think I already have.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We learn more about Luke and his heritage and just who Henry Solo owes money to on a disastrous trip to the village or Ord Mantell.

That summer was the most enchanting month and a half Leia Organa had ever spent. Henry and Luke introduced her and Aunt Breha as much of Naboo as they could. They and Wedge Antilles drove them through Theed Town and the outlying villages. They marveled over cozy medieval half-timbered homes, towering Gothic cathedrals, massive palaces, and elaborate outdoor art galleries. 

Luke gallantly took Leia, Breha, and Mon Mothma shopping one sunny afternoon. To Leia's surprise, he enjoyed it. He knew the cut and style of all the latest men's fashions, and quite a bit about women's clothing as well. It was he who recommended the milliner who sold Leia the dashing straw hat with the pale blue flowers and the fabric shop where Breha found the roll of black and white crepe de chine for her Diamond Gala ball gown.

“How do you know so much about clothes?” Leia took the hat box from him as they left the milliner's shop. “You said you grew up as a farmer.”

“Aunt Berta used to take me fabric shopping when I was younger,” Luke explained, “and I'd help her sew our clothes. Uncle Owen complained that it wasn't an appropriate skill for a boy, but Aunt Berta said I grew out of my clothes so fast, I might as well learn how to make my own.” The blond boy bit his lip. “She told me I got it from my mother. Aunt Berta only met her a few times, but she said she was the most beautiful and well-dressed woman she ever saw. Mother only wore the finest clothes, even when she was visiting relatives with Father in Tatoonie.”

Leia smiled. “Your mother sounds lovely. I think she'd get along well with Aunt Breha.”

“I wish I'd known her. Ben told me about her, and Aunt Berta mentioned her sometimes. Her name was Padme.” Luke looked far-away. “Ben said I was a lot like her.”

“Padme?” Leia raised an eyebrow. “Like Queen Padme of Naboo, the one who was killed? Are you related to her?”

Luke smiled wanly. “She's a...distant cousin.” He took her arm. “Why don't we go get a sandwich? I know a cafe in Theed Town that serves the best ham you've ever tasted.”

“Luke?” Leia pulled her arm away. “I think we're being watched.” She pointed across the street. A man in a green suit and a long green coat, a wide green hat with a red band and feather shading his face, leaned casually against a door frame across the street. “I've seen him all morning, usually hiding in doorways or just sitting across from us at cafes.”

Her blond friend shrugged. “He's just standing there, smoking a cigarette. Come on. Let's go get your aunt and see where Charles parked the carriage.”

Leia saw the man in green again a few days later when she, Henry, and Charles were returning from the Paradise Pier Amusement Park at the riverside village of Ord Mantell. “I still don't know how you managed to beat me at the Shooting Gallery,” Henry complained amiably. He pushed a large stuffed dog under his arm. Where did you learn how to do that? Most women I've known wouldn't have been caught dead around any weapon more deadly than a sewing needle.”

Leia shrugged, wiping her grimy fingers off on her handkerchief. “I used to slip away from my aunts and hide in the barracks with our military men. They thought I was cute and taught me how the guns worked. I did a lot of reading in the castle, too.”

“Too bad you're so set on following in your uncle's footsteps.” The businessman followed behind her and Charles, leaning heavily on his cane. “You'd be a great Annie Oakley there.”

“Unlike you, I have a job I can't walk out on.” Leia turned up her nose. “Alderaan needs me. Uncle Bail and Aunt Breha couldn't have children. I'm all they have.” She gave him a sly smile. “Didn't you say you'd be leaving at least two weeks ago?”

He shrugged. “You know how things are. Couple of business propositions came up. We still have to get things settled here.”

Leia's little smile was knowing. “Ahhh.” As they walked across the street, her eyes picked up a flash of green coming from around a corner. “Henry, I don't know if Luke told you this, but I keep seeing this one man everywhere I go.”

“I can't say I blame him.” Henry's famous smirk tugged at the corners of his pink lips. “You're just so fascinating, Your Worship.” 

“First of all, stop calling me that.” Leia peered across the street. “Henry, he's coming closer.” Her voice rose a bit. “I think he has a knife.”

“Henry,” Charles took his arm. “Her Grace ain't seein' things. That's Robert Fettson out there. I'd recognize that flashy get-up of his anywhere.” The huge bodyguard managed a quick glance over his shoulder. “Yes, he does have a knife. A gun too, if I'm not mistaken. And yes, it is aimed at us.”

“Damn it.” His employer hobbled a little faster. “Should have known Jenkins would start sending people sooner or later.” He grabbed Leia's hand as Fettson crossed the street, heading their way. “We have to get out of here, and fast.”

The big valet let out a stream of what Leia assumed to be several curses in his native language. “We're not going to have the time to reach our carriage.” He shoved everyone into a taxi sitting by the curb, then leaped in himself. 

The driver, an old man in a ragged suit, looked a little startled under the stovepipe hat. “Where to, guv'ner?” 

“Anywhere that isn't here.” Henry shoved a wad of bills in the man's hands. “Take the back roads, and be quick about it.”

The man grinned, showing the gaps between his stained teeth. “For that amount of money, I'll take you halfway to China, mate.” The carriage jolted to life, leaping into the crowded streets. Mothers pulled their children out of the way. Men in pale linen suits shook their fists as the cart barely missed running them over.

Leia looked over her shoulder. “Henry, there's a carriage behind us. A big one. Looks more like an ice wagon or something used to transport animals to the zoo.”

Henry's eyes slid to where she looked. He let loose with his own stream of curses, many of which he'd likely picked up from Charles. “That's his wagon. Fettson inherited it from his dad Jan years ago, after the guy was killed in some altercation with the Jedi Guards. That thing is his baby. He uses it to haul whatever his latest catch is.”

She didn't like the sound of that. “Is he a big game hunter?”

“You might put it that way.” Henry winced as the carriage road over the sidewalk, throwing his arms around Leia to protect her from the falling awnings and flower pots. The tall businessman awkwardly pulled himself into a sitting position, looking over his shoulder as he did. “Charles,” he groaned, “Fettson's still back there.” Suddenly a shot rang out. A dark blur whizzed through the air, barely missing him. “And now he's taking pot shots!” Leia's eyes widened as Henry pulled a gun from a pocket in his jacket. He pushed Leia down as he returned fire. 

“Who is this fellow who's following you?” The driver ducked two bullets, his voice going up several notches. “He's not exactly the friendly type, is he?”

“No, he's the type whose friends end up dead.” Henry handed Leia the gun. “Here. Hold this.” Leia fired off a few shots while Henry leaned over the side of the carriage. He grabbed a cart and managed to turn it around while its owner was dealing with a customer. The last of Leia's shots were aimed at Fettson's tires, denting them until they rolled into the large fruit cart. Fettson went flying into a mound of squashed strawberries and bruised apples. 

“That ought to hold him for a while.” Henry slid the gun back into his coat. “Driver, take us back into town. I'll pay you extra for the damage to the vehicle.”

“All right, Henry.” Leia glared at him. “What was that all about?”

“Let's just say, I owe some unpleasant people a few dollars.” Henry winced as he moved his bad knee. “That man is from the collection agency. They don't like it when people are behind in their payments.”

Charles snorted. Leia rolled her eyes. “He was shooting you and following not only us, but Luke and me a few days ago. This man wants a lot more than a few dollars.”

Henry gave her the famous smirk, but it looked tired. “How about I explain the whole thing to you at Corellia Manor tomorrow? I'll get my cook to make us a decent lunch. The kid's going to be around, working on his fencing, and Charles and Rusty will be there to play chaperon. I'll even show you one of my workshops.”

“One of?” Leia leaned back in the seat. “You have others? Where?”

The lame business owner shrugged. “In Lothal, near the junkyard. Makes it pretty easy to get parts, if you can stand the smell.” The driver stopped back on the block they'd started by, right near the field where Charles parked the carriage. Henry peeled a few extra credits from his wallet. “This should be more than enough to repair the damage done to your cab by my colleague back there.” 

“Thank you, sir.” The man tucked the bills into his pocket. “The next time you call on me, do it when you're not being shot at. It spooks the horses.”

“I'll try to remember that.” Henry let Charles help him down, then leaned on his ever-present cane as he watched Leia step onto the street. “Ready to head back to Chalindria Court?”

“Yes, I am.” Leia gave him a playful grin of her own. “I've been wanting to see your house. Mon Mothma told me no one's been in there besides you, Luke, Sir Kenton, Charles, and your servants for years.”

“That's because there really isn't much to see. Typical bachelor quarters.” He took Leia's arm. “Think of yourself as part of a club, then. You'll be the first woman to see the inside of Corellia Manor since Kenton's old Jedi Guard mentor Quinton Jinn lived there, thirty years ago.”

Her smile was blinding. “I wouldn't miss it.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leia finally gets to see Henry, Charles, and Luke's home and find out a little about Luke's past.

It was pouring when Charles picked up Leia in their small but well-appointed covered cart. He held a wide black umbrella over her head as they dashed through the entrance. “What terrible weather.” Leia shook the water off her pale blue day dress. “And it was so nice yesterday!”

“It was hot and muggy yesterday,” Charles might have said. That thick native accent of his was hard to understand at times. “This is an improvement.” He opened the door. “Shall we, miss?”

“Thank you.” Leia had barely stepped through the dark, heavy wooden door when she was almost knocked to the floor by an enthusiastic blond blur.

“Leia!” Luke gave her a big hug. “I'm glad you were able to come. I thought you might have stayed home because of the weather.”

“Wild horses couldn't keep me away.” Leia chuckled. “Do you think I'd turn down the chance to see inside real bachelor quarters? I may never get an opportunity like this again!”

That wasn't the only reason Leia's aunt and hostess had encouraged her visit. “Find out what Henry's up to,” Mon Mothma told her the night before at dinner when she mentioned her visit. “We want to know more about that airship and what he plans to do with it. I think it's a lot more than shipping.”

Breha stirred her iced tea. “Those young men...there's something...odd about them. Did you notice that it's been almost a month since anyone has heard from the Crimson Hawk and his men?”

Leia's laugh sounded hollow. “Surely you don't think Henry Solo could be the Crimson Hawk? He has that bad leg. Not to mention, he's a legitimate businessman, with a ward and a company to protect.”

“I don't know what to think.” Mon Mothma turned her gaze to Leia. “I do know that the Crimson Hawk hasn't been seen since he and his men rescued you.” 

She shook out the morning paper. “There's other concerns as well. Vader has vowed to capture the Crimson Hawk and the Golden Eagle and bring them both to justice. He blames them for the destruction of the first Death Star Airship and the sabotage on the second one.”

Leia peered over the senator's shoulder. “How are the repairs on the second Death Star going?”

“He says he's hoping to have it done by the time of the coronation next month.” She put her newspaper aside. “Hopefully, we should have figured out what to do about it by then. We can't keep up with these random acts of sabotage. We need a bigger plan...and Henry might be the right man for the job.”

“Leia?” She shook her head as Henry's voice echoed from down the long, dark wood hall and her mind returned to the present. “Hey there, Your Grace! Glad you could come. I'm working on a new type of train and boat fuel made from condensed khyber crystals. Should run ten times faster than coal or gas...if Junior and I can figure out the exact formula from Ol' Kenton's notes.”

“Han,” Luke began as Leia followed them. “I've been meaning to ask you something.”

His employer hobbled rather fast for his condition. “Yeah, Junior, what?”

“Henry, I...I want to take my leave.” He finally took Henry's shoulder. “After the Regatta. I need to find Yoda.”

Henry looked up from his notes. “Is that a new science society or something?”

“No,” Luke explained, “it's a Jedi. A great warrior. I want to find him and learn more about the Force and the guards.”

Henry frowned. “You do what you want, kid. You're of age. I can't stop you.” He clapped the boy's shoulder. “But after the Regatta, ok?”

Luke's sunny grin returned. “Ok! Don't worry, Henry. I'll come back as soon as I've finished training.”

“Liang Yoda?” Leia followed the men into a room towards the end of the hall. “He was one of the heads of the Jedi Council, the Queen and King's top advisers. Uncle Bail used to talk about him. I thought he was killed with the other guards.”

“So did I.” Luke grabbed a heavy, dark apron off a hook. “Right before he died, Ben told me Yoda was still alive, and might be willing to teach me about the ways of the Jedi Guards.”

“Wouldn't he be at least a hundred by now? He wasn't young when I was a kid.” Henry hobbled over to a vast networks of chemical tubes, pipes, beakers, burners, and glass bottles. The chemistry set took up the entire end of what was otherwise a fairly normal parlor. Fizzy blue and green liquids, like the ones Leia saw in the Falcon's tubes, bubbled along, dripping into two glass beakers at the end of the room near the door. 

“It doesn't matter how old he is.” Luke took one of the beakers, inspecting the contents. “What matters is, he knows more about the Jedi than anyone.”

Leia sat gingerly on a heavy wooden chair that was streaked with a long bright blue stain. “How do you know you can trust this person? He may not even want to see you.”

The young man looked up from the fizzy cerulean liquid. The pale blue eyes were hard and determined. “I have to try, Leia.”

The trio worked on the liquids for the better part of an hour. Leia hadn't taken much chemistry in school, but she picked up enough to at least understand why one liquid fizzed and another wouldn't mix with it. “Careful!” Henry took one beaker from Leia as she was about to pour it into a larger glass. “You drop that, and this place will go sky-high. We've had enough explosions around here as it is.”

“Explosions?” Leia chuckled. “Is that what happened the day I met you?”

“Uh, yeah. Rusty n' Junior n' I were workin' on our cutting machine.” Henry winced as he handled a hot tube of effervescent green liquid. “Let's just say our first version didn't like the fuel we were usin'.”

“It was all over everything.” Luke groaned at the memory. “Took us days to get it clean. The windows were a total loss. Ben was so upset. He loved this place. I didn't know there were so many words for 'idiot' in Scotch Gaelic.”

“I'm pretty sure he made most of them up.” Henry limped over to a small metal box, laden with tubes. “Stand back.” Luke handed him a set of goggles, which he pulled on quickly. As soon as he poured the liquid into a small funnel on the side of the machine, he pushed the other two back towards the wall. “Here it goes.” He picked up a long box the size of a cinder block and pushed a lever. 

The gears in the machine whirred, then crackled. After a few minutes, it sizzled to life, blue and green electricity starting a small storm around the casing. A jagged blue light sizzled through a block of scrap metal sitting on the table. “It worked!” Henry threw his arm around Luke's shoulder. “Junior, it worked! Do you know what this means?”

“He might, but I don't.” Leia shrugged. “What does it mean?”

“That's what I was telling you about at the party a few weeks ago, Your Grace, the machine that can cut through anything.” He handed the box to Luke. “Walk around with it, kid. Let her see what it does. Go get another piece of scrap.”

“All right.” As he made his way around the steel table, the machine let out a beep, then a whir, and then another crackle. One of the tubes lifted, sighted Luke...and shot a blast of blue liquid straight at his chest! It hit him directly in the center of his apron.

“Well,” Henry admitted sheepishly, “it's not a hundred-percent perfect yet.” He took off his own goggles, hanging them on a wooden peg board. “But we're getting there.”

Charles's furry head ducked into the door. “How would you folks like some lunch? You've been working in here for nearly an hour. We'll be having roast beef sandwiches on my own fresh sweet bread, peas and carrots, and chips with vinegar.”

“Sounds good to me.” Luke set the control box on the table and removed his own goggles. “I'm starved!”

“Me too.” Leia got to her feet.

“I'm game.” Henry took his cane. “Come on, kiddies. Grub's on.”

Leia spent a very pleasant rainy afternoon with the trio of inventors. Charles in particular was such a gentleman. He pulled out a chair for her and always offered her the food first. Luke prattled on about their entry in the Regatta and spending time with Wedge. Henry said very little, mostly either talking about his engines or making poor attempts to flirt with her.

The rain was picking up as Luke lead her to a small house in the back of the main building, just hidden between a circle of asters. “This is the place I pointed out to you the day you arrived.” Luke held an umbrella over his and Leia's head. Charles and Henry shared the big black one the tall manservant had used for Leia earlier. “Our main workshop is upstairs. That's where we sketch our blueprints and develop our ideas.”

“I'll bet that must be interesting.” Leia shook off the rain as Charles pushed the screen door open.

“Oh, it is.” Henry let Luke help him in. “But it's not open to the public. You wouldn't like it, anyway. It's mostly very dull and dusty up there, just papers and desks and maps and pencils.”

“Maps?” Leia hung her wet lace wrap on a clothes tree in the foyer. “What do you need maps for? Your business?”

“How else am I going to know where all the stuff I'm shipping is heading for?” The disabled businessman limped down a hallway that was a bit brighter than the one in the main house, painted a sunshiny yellow. “I have a company to keep track of.”

Luke lead her to the open room in the very back of the house. “I think this will interest you a lot more.”

The wide room had been converted into something like a gym, with a hobby-horse, a rope to climb, three sets of boxing gloves hanging on a series of hooks near the door, and shelves and shelves of fencing sabers and epees and masks. A series of long windows gave them a wonderful view of the thunder and lightning dancing over the gardens and the edge of the river. “Oh my.” Leia walked around the room. “I'm impressed. They won't even let women into the men's gymnasium at home. We have our own, but it isn't as big or well-stocked as this.”

“You're the first woman who's ever been in here,” Henry admitted as Charles settled him into a plush chair on one side of the room. “It's usually just the three of us, or Wedge and the Rogues. You should see Rusty do handstands on the hobby horse. He's a lot more agile than you might think from a guy the size and shape of a fire hydrant.”

“I'm surprised you don't make the men let you fence with them.” Luke tossed Leia an epee and a mask. “How are you with these?”

Leia caught them easily. “Better than you might think.” She easily strapped the mask over her braids. “Ahsoka taught me fencing, until she got the reporting job here. She used to be with the Jedi Guards, but she quit a year before they were disbanded over an altercation with another member. She doesn't really like to talk about it.” 

“That explains your style.” Luke pulled on his mask. “It's like Ben's, but it isn't. It's more...aggressive.”

“That's Ahsoka for you. She can be relentless, whether she's getting a scoop or dueling with one of my uncle's guards.” Leia turned to Henry. “What about you? I guess you can't fence now.”

Henry shrugged, but the hazel eyes darkened. “I know my way around a sword, but I prefer guns. They're a lot simpler than all that messing around with form and style.” 

Luke saw the downcast expression on his guardian's face and knew it was time to change the subject. “Shall we begin, Your Grace?” He bowed for her. 

She bowed for him. “Absolutely, Sir Skywalker.”

“Sir Skywalker.” Leia could almost see the gears grinding in his gold-topped head. “I like that.” He jumped out for her, almost getting her shoulder. She pulled out just in time. “First lesson.” His grin was nearly feral, illuminated by a bolt of lightning in the long windows behind him. “Always expect the unexpected.”

Henry and Charles watched the two combatants go at each other, pushing each other across the room. It was almost enthralling, the way the two anticipated the others' every move. “You know,” murmured Charles, “those two cubs are right strange. They fight like one body split into two.”

“Yeah.” Henry had to admit, they were good together. Leia's pale, dark looks were perfectly complimented by Luke's tanned golden-boy complexion. They moved as one, Leia's aggressiveness more than a match for his ward's quiet but deadly efficiency. The lightning flashed and thunder boomed, outlining their amiable duel. 

Their audience gave them rousing applause when they finally collapsed on a long, padded wooden chest. “Bravo, kiddies!” Henry's smile was genuine and proud. “You're both first-class Jedi. Ol' Kenton would be proud.”

Charles wrapped his hairy arms around them. “I know I am!” 

“You're...you're really good, Leia.” Luke was panting as he took off his mask, his face flaming red. “I haven't had a fight like that in ages, even before Ben died. His technique was flawless, but he couldn't really move that fast anymore.”

Leia bowed for him, giggling. “Thank you, Sir Skywalker. You know, it's too bad the Jedi were disbanded. You'd make a great Jedi, and not only because your father was a member of the group. You are very good at this, and Mon Mothma says you're a big help to Henry and to her.”

Her partner turned even redder. “Thank you. I believe in doing all we can to help others.” 

“You know,” Leia began, “my aunt and Mon Mothma and I are going into Theed Town tomorrow to visit the cafe and talk to some of her senator friends. She's known a few of them for years. Would you like to come with us?”

Luke started to open his mouth, but Henry spoke first. “Sorry, sweetheart, but we have business matters to attend to tomorrow.” His gave her his most innocent smile. “But I wouldn't mind it if you came to the Regatta with us. It'll just be Charlie and me. Luke and Wedge are entering on the Rogue Five.”

“It won't be any fun without you!” Luke took her hand. “We'll need more people cheering us on. There's a lot of competition, including Baron Vader's entry. I heard it's the biggest ship in Naboo.”

Leia put her arm around him. “We were already planning on going to the Regatta anyway. Of course I'll join you. I'll have to ask Aunt Breha, but I don't think she'll mind coming. Mon Mothma's coming, too. She's sponsoring Hera and the Ghost.” 

“Great! We'll make a whole day out of it.” Henry waved to Charles, who helped him stand. “And now, why don't we have some lemonade in the kitchen? Rusty made it up a few days ago. He makes the best lemonade. Says he learned it from an old employer in Tatoonie years ago.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leia's visit with dull Brendol Hux in Theed Town doesn't start out as an exciting afternoon. Her day picks up considerably when she spies two strange figures walking around in velvet cloaks and carrying heavy baskets...in the summer.

The rain stopped by the next morning. The whole world seemed newly washed and clean, even in downtown Theed. Leia had lunch with her aunt, Mon Mothma, and Senator Brendol Hux of Arkansis at a small cafe across from the court house. They sipped iced tea and enjoyed sandwiches while discussing the state of politics in Naboo.

“Really,” Hux complained, “these peasants. They think they can have anything they want. They're like spoiled children. When Prime Minister Palpatine takes over the throne, there will be far harsher punishments metered out for insurgents. Take the Crimson Hawk, for instance.” Hux was a tall, handsome man, with a porcelain complexion, slender figure, and gingery red hair that was so slicked back under his straw boater, it more closely resembled the glossy red pebbles found on the banks of the river than part of the human anatomy.

Leia looked over her iced tea glass. “May I remind you that the Crimson Hawk and his men rescued me from a dire fate, or worse?”

“Yes, but they also demanded money.” Hux's voice rose when he was championing his favorite causes. “They made a shambles of the Lothal Arts Festival. More than a hundred people reported stolen property after that fair, not to mention, there was the release of the Wookie natives on the Death Star Airship. I don't mind letting lesser creatures work, but they do have their proper place.”

Leia glared at him. “And I'm sure you know where that would be.”

“Of course I do. They're natives. They're not like us. Barely capable of menial work.” He snorted. “I've heard that Henry Solo practically has his Wookie valet as part of the family! Truly unacceptable. I never understood how an outsider like Solo wormed his way into society in Naboo. And he lets his ward carry on with a man! Shameful.”

Mon Mothma took Leia's hand before she could open her mouth and gave her a stern look, then turned to Hux. “That's enough, Brendol. Luke Skywalker is a good, kind young man, and Henry is my neighbor. What they do with their lives is none of our concern.”

“Henry has a brilliant mind,” Hux went on, “but he doesn't belong here. I heard he signed up Antilles and his ward for the Regatta! It's really gone downhill these days. After Vader finishes his plans, though, I'm sure everything will return to normal.”

The three women exchanged looks. Breha finally fluttered her fan, trying to look dainty. “Oh my, there are conspiracies around every corner in Naboo these days, aren't there?”

Hux continued, ignoring the glare from Mon Mothma. “Speaking of conspiracies, Vader has increased security at all remaining Jubilee events, including the Regatta, the coronation, and the Grand Diamond Ball. There will be a thousand troops at the Regatta alone. Vader has also confided in me that there will be some...special...troops set up to deal with the Crimson Hawk and his men if they do appear.”

“How can you be so sure they'll come?” Leia snapped. “They haven't been seen in weeks.” 

“Oh, they'll come.” Brendol stuck his long nose in the air. “How could he resist? It's one of the major gatherings of the Naboo social season. Every noble in the land will be there, the cream of the crop...and their large purses and wallets. There's always plenty of people milling around, and not everyone knows everybody. It's a perfect cover.” He clutched his glass of lemonade so hard, it shattered. “I won't be like Tarkin, who let those fools escape. Vader says he and the prime minster have a fool-proof plan for getting rid of those minor irritations.”

“They don't seem minor to me.” Breha moved away from his now-sticky fist. “You're certainly upset enough over them.”

“They're making the Coruscant Empire look like a lot of jokers.” Brendol wiped his hands, grateful that he hadn't taken off his gloves. “Vader and Palpatine will put a stop to them! I don't know why they felt the need to hire that bounty hunter to do their work. 'Takes scum to know scum,' Vader said. Pah! Barely better than the Crimson Hawk himself.”

Leia had only been half-listening to Brendol drone on. Her eyes followed two men in heavy velvet capes as they made their way silently past the small shops on the other side of Amidala Street. The man in the dark green cape was taller than the one in the navy blue and had broader shoulders. A bit of gold hair peeped out of the hood of the smaller one; the locks peeping out of the hood of his companion were the color of the cinnamon sprinkled on her spice biscuit. A muscular arm in a blood-red blouse and a hand in a thick black leather glove poked out of the black cape, carrying a dented wicker basket. Bits of gold and black could be seen under the gold cape.

“Aunt Breha, may I be excused?” Tiny hands pushed her up and away from the table so quickly, she almost knocked over the crystal-cut iced tea decanter. “I thought I saw two people across the street I knew.”

“Very well, dear.” Her aunt patted her hand. “Just be careful out there. Look both ways before crossing the street. And don't linger too long. We'll be going back to Chalindria Court soon.”

“I'll be fine, Auntie.” Leia darted across the street, making sure she did look both ways. She just dodged a hack driver with a pair of young people spooning in the back when she saw the pair duck into a pottery shop on the end of the row, alongside an alleyway. 

She had just stepped into the shop when her chocolate-brown eyes noticed the flutter of black cloth going out a door. Ignoring the bleats from the little man behind the counter, she followed them past a storage room filled with all manner of dishes and vases and into the back. To her surprise, when she got into the alley, it was empty. There was no one there but a little gray mouse who gazed up at her with curious onyx eyes.

“Sir,” Leia said quickly to the shop owner, “who were those two men in the cloaks? The ones who were just here?”

The diminutive fellow tried to appear as innocent as a round-faced shopkeeper with a handlebar mustache longer than her hair could. “What men, miss?” He held out a small glazed figure. “Perhaps I could interest you in this? It's our own Queen Padme, in her red ceremonial gown. Personally, I never understood how she could wear those huge headdresses and not get a sore neck...”

“I'll buy it,” Leia interrupted, “if you tell me about those two men who were just here. They were the Crimson Hawk and the Golden Eagle, weren't they? Did they rob you?”

The shop keeper looked right and left. When he was satisfied that they were completely alone, he leaned over her. “Lass, you have the wrong idea! They would never harm me.” He revealed the basket the Crimson Hawk held. “My wife is sick, and I've had a hard time keeping up with Palpatine's taxes. The Crimson Hawk or his men have come every few weeks, leaving food or money.” His voice dropped into barely a whisper. “He's done this for others, too. Men in cloaks will appear, or they'll wear simple suits and hats that shade their faces. They'll give me the food or money, tell me the Crimson Hawk is watching over us all, and leave.”

“Do you know where they went?” Leia waved her hand at the door.

“Now you know, miss, why most working people in Naboo think they're shape-shifters.” The shop keeper handed her the figure he'd wrapped in pale pink tissue paper. “No one has ever witnessed them leave. I think they just meld into the shadows, like good demons.”

“Thank you, sir.” Leia placed the delicate statue in her purse. “May the Force be with you!” 

“And you too, Miss,” he called as she darted back into the alley.

The alley was dark, damp, and musty, even on a beautiful afternoon in late June. She jumped as a rat scurried along the wall of the old tavern in the back. The other sides were flanked by ancient old buildings and criss-crossed with rusty fire escapes and ropes hung with dozens of colorful sheets, blouses, and underthings. She couldn't see any way for the Crimson Hawk and the Golden Eagle to have escaped but through way she came. No thick velvet cloaks fluttered in the soft breeze on the street.

Another squeak came from above. She gazed over her head, her eyes adjusting to the darkness. The barest hint of a human outline perched on the edge of one of the balconies. “How ya doin', Your Grace?”

“I could ask the same of you, Crimson Hawk.” She raised her scowl upwards, trying to discern his shape through the darkness. “Where have you been these last few weeks?”

“Busy.” A hand hidden by black leather untied a clothesline and swung down gracefully, as if he were the bird he'd taken his name from. He landed easily on his feet, directly in front of her. “Nice to know you missed me.” He had the same flirty smirk, his regal nose and soft lips the only part of his face not covered by a hood and goggles. 

“Please.” She could feel the heat rise in her delicate cheeks, even as she rolled her eyes. “I'm here to warn you. Don't go to the Royal Regatta. They're setting a trap for you!”

“Who?” He tossed the rope aside. “That skinny moron I saw you with today? That guy doesn't scare me. He couldn't scare a marmalade cat.” 

“Hux is more formidable than you think.” The young duchess worried her lower lip. “No, it's Vader. Hux told us just a few minutes ago that he and Palpatine have some sort of plan in mind for you at the Regattta. The way he was describing it, I don't think he intends to give you the key to the city and a ticker-tape parade.”

“I doubt he would. He'd be more likely to toss us into jail and throw away that key.” The Hawk laughed. “Don't worry, Your Worshipfullness. We'll be fine. We've dealt with Vader's traps before.”

“I'm just...concerned, that's all. As a friend.” Her eyes darted up to his thick, concealing goggles. “Why are you doing this? Hiding your face, disappearing into the shadows, helping people you don't even know...”

His gravely voice was hesitant. “I was doing it for a friend. Yes, I have them too, Your Duchessness. Now...” He shrugged. “Maybe I'm doing it a little for the people. They're not so bad. They sure as hell don't deserve what Palpatine's doin' to them.”

“Could you...” Leia continued softly “...take off your goggles? I won't tell anyone what your eyes look like. I promise.”

“All right, Sweetheart. But I'm only doing this because you asked so nicely.” He slowly tugged the grimy goggles up over his forehead, and then onto the top of his hood. His eyes were almond-shaped and hazel, gold flecks glittering like nuggets in the deep orbs...and she knew them. She knew them well. “Happy now?”

“Very.” She leaned closer to him. “Why do you hide yourselves? Mon Mothma and the Rebel Society would love it if you and your men would join them. We could work together. All of us. We're all after the same thing.”

“Sorry, but we have to do this our own way.” His breath came quicker now. “I really should be goin'. My boys are gonna miss me.”

“I should be, too. I told the others I'd only be a few minutes.” Neither of them broke their gaze for a second. “I shouldn't feel like this...”

The soft leather gloves wrapped around her torso, drawing her close. “You're trembling.”

“I'm not trembling.” Her mind was racing. He was so close, she could smell him. His scent was a heady mix of grease, sweat, fresh baked bread, damp velvet, and...chemicals? 

“Yes, you are.” He ran his gloves through her braided hair. 

“No, I'm not. I'm...” Those soft, pink lips cut off her rambling. His kiss was deep and passionate. Her knees buckled under her. She could feel her heart melting into goo, like a gelatin dessert left out in the sun. It was better than anything ever described in any penny dreadful. It was like...

“What's going on out there?” Hux's grating voice smashed her romantic daydreams into tiny slivers. She barely noticed the Crimson Hawk yanking the goggles back over his eyes and climbing up the clothesline to the fire escape and safety.

Leia swung around, her voice sharper than she intended. “What are you doing here?”

“You didn't come back, so I told your aunt I'd look for you.” He darted over to the clothesline. “I saw the Crimson Hawk! Right here!” He pointed at the ground beneath his feet. “It might have been my imagination, but I thought he was kissing you!”

Leia gently touched her lips where the Crimson Hawk kissed her. “It was your imagination.” She took Hux's arm. “Why don't we rejoin Aunt Breha and Mon Mothma? They must be really worried by now.” 

“You know,” Hux began in his infuriatingly condescending voice, “I'm going to be in the Regatta tomorrow, driving Vader's ship the Twilight. Mon Mothma and the Grand Duchess are already invited. You'll be thrilled to come along as my escort, of course.”

Leia gave him a wan smile. “I'm sorry, but I already agreed to go with Henry Solo. Perhaps another time?”

“Yes,” Hux muttered through a strained smile, “another time.” 

“Han,” said a soft voice from the shadows as they strolled down the alley, “why did you do that? If she identifies us, we're in big trouble!”

“I don't think we are.” The Crimson Hawk threw his black cloak back over his shoulders. “She won't give us away.” There was a distinct smirk in his voice. “Not after that kiss.”

“Han,” the gentle voice added as they made their way to the shop, “do you love her?”

“Yeah, kid.” The Crimson Hawk's voice was tinged with longing...and perhaps a bit of regret. “Yeah. I do.” He put an arm around the lad's shoulders. “Let's go. We still have a few more deliveries to make. Need to tell you what she said about Vader and the Regatta, too...”

The duo were too busy leaping over fences and shimmying up water spouts to notice another figure in the shadows. This one wore green and red, a battered green straw hat shading his face. His eyes remained on the two bandits until they clamored over the roof tops and out of sight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, that Brendol Hux is the man who became the father of Armitage. I couldn't think of a better Imperial suitor for Leia, or one who would toady up to Palpatine and Vader so quickly.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the day of the Royal Regatta, the big society boat race at the Yavin Yacht Club. Leia's looking forward to a pleasant afternoon with Henry, Charles, and her aunt...until Vader sabotages the race, and then the Crimson Hawk and his men appear!

The Royal Regatta was one of the major events of the summer social season in Naboo. Nobles and working people alike crowded the stands and pavilions at the Yavin Yacht Club along the Calamari River. Ladies and gentlemen in linen suits and white lace dresses rubbed elbows with peasants and workers in simple dark dresses and slightly threadbare, rolled-up sleeves and trousers. 

Leia sat with Breha, Mon Mothma, Henry, Cedric, Rusty, and Charles at the porch surrounding Bast Manor. Once the summer lodge for the royal family, it now served as Palpatine's warm-weather retreat. Wookie native servants in white jackets brought them lemonades and sparkling tonics. “How did you manage this invitation?” Leia held onto her new white organdy hat with the white daisies and black feathers piled at the crown. “Only nobles and high government officials are allowed at Bast Manor.” 

“I have connections.” Henry's navy jacket, red blouse, and red and navy-striped tie was a subdued contrast to Leia's frilly black and white-striped suit and white lace parasol, Charles' red and yellow blazer, and the slightly moth-eaten white jacket that strained at Rusty's middle. He pushed his spectacles up his regal nose. “I have money on the Ghost, Senator, since you can't bet on your own entry.” 

Mon Mothma chuckled as she gazed through her heavy old military binoculars. “That's odd. I have money on the Rogue. Captain Antilles is a fine sailor. He always did well with my yacht, the Dreamer's Revenge.” 

“Wedge is a good guy.” Henry was looking through his own dented binoculars. “Luke's out there with him. They'll take care of each other.”

“I've got money on the Ghost myself.” Rusty shrugged. “Chopper's an old pal of mine. He'd probably cross all my wires and loosen my lug nuts if I didn't. He's a cantankerous old cur.” 

Cedric sniffed. “Gambling is such a bad habit. I prefer watching the race and enjoying this stunning view. After all, we're all together, protected by half of the Naboo military. I feel like absolutely nothing could go wrong today!”

Leia groaned inwardly as Vader strode into the group, his black cape billowing in the breeze. The half-mechanical nobleman looked wildly out-of-place in his black Coruscant uniform and metal armor among the bright plumage of the other nobility. “Make way for our Prime Minister, the lord and savior of the Coruscant Empire, Lord Stephan Palpatine!”

His Lordship was not a tall man, but he had presence. His pearl gray suit was of the latest style and cut, flanked by a pale linen cape. Like Henry, he carried a cane. Unlike Henry, he didn't lean on it. The length of dark walnut, topped by a snake emblem, seemed to be more of an accessory than a necessity. He had wavy, silvery hair and a wrinkled, aristocratic face. The wrinkles gave his age as somewhere between 50 and 65, but there was a calculating coldness in his gait, a slow deliberateness that made him seem much older. Leia had met him several times before, mainly during state dinners at Alderaan. She bowed before him, but her eyes were defiant. 

“Ahh yes, my public.” He kissed Leia's hand, then Breha's. “I'm so sorry about Drana Harbor in Alderaan, Your Grace. Baron Vader committed this crime without thinking.” He glared at the taller noble. “It won't happen again.” 

Baron Vader bowed humbly. “No, it won't, My Lord.”

He reached for Mon Mothma's hand, but she pulled it away. “Don't even think about it, you old reprobate. You know why I'm here. You have no intention of doing anything about the situation of the people in this country, do you?”

Palpatine settled down next to Henry on the largest of the wicker chairs. “My dear woman, this is hardly the time or place to discuss politics.” He turned his thin-lipped smile to the man next to him. “I haven't seen you in years, Mr. Solo. Thought you'd vanished from the face of the Earth.”

“I've been busy.” Henry's infuriating smirk returned. “You know how companies work. It's almost like running a country.”

“Speaking of, my boy,” Palpatine continued in an amiable tone, “I have some work you might want to consider. We're going to need to transport the second Death Star Airship to Nabarrie Palace in time for the Diamond Gala Ball. We'll be introducing it to the public that night. It'll fly over the Palace like a beacon, a symbol to all those who would attempt to crush the Coruscant Empire.” 

Leia could almost see the credit signs in Henry's eyes. “How much would you be willing to pay, Your Lordship? Solo Shipping doesn't come cheap.” 

“Oh, at least fifty thousand credits.” Palpatine's thin smile drew upwards until it was an unsettling line across his oily face. “Enough to buy you a dozen engines and crystals.”

Baron Vader's hiss was even more evident. “I don't think using a public company is appropriate...”

“Enough, Vader.” Palpatine waved him off. “Well?”

The businessman tried to look like he was thinking the matter over, but Leia knew from the quirk of his mouth that he'd already made his decision. He put out his hand. “You have yourself a deal, old man. We'll discuss the details tomorrow.”

Palpatine shook it. “I like the way you think, Solo. You're a renegade by my own heart.”

Henry ignored Leia's livid brown eyes boring holes into his head. “Yeah, well, some of us have to earn a living, Your Lordship.”

“That's too bad.” The prime minister's smile nearly split his craggy face. “You should have been born an aristocrat. You do have a rather aristocratic manner, for an American. You and that ward of yours. Where is Mr. Skywalker, anyway? Seems like such a nice young man. Vader is especially interested in him. He has a very familiar name.”

“Luke's entered in the Regatta, Your Lordship. We'll be cheering him on in a minute.” Henry coughed. “Which reminds me, don't you have to announce the first race?”

“Of course.” Palpatine stood as the brass band's rendition of “Naboo, My Country, My Home” came to a stirring conclusion. “Citizens, friends, country men and women of Naboo,” he began in a sonorous tone, “welcome to the 110th annual Amidala Royal Regatta!” 

He waited until the cheering calmed down to continue. “This year, we have more than one hundred entries from across twenty Alliance countries and nine provinces. Some of the finest families in Europe are taking part, with the largest sailing ships ever to grace the Calamari River. Allow me to emphasize the patrol boats on the harbor, all of which are armed and manned by Naboo's finest troops. Also, my guardsmen in the red uniforms are stationed in boxes and in the stands for your safety. Now,” he raised his pale hand, “let the Regatta begin!”

Even Leia got caught up in the excitement as the ships sped ahead, each one sleeker than the next. It was easy to pick the Rogue out of the crowd. She was a small but trim vessel, mainly white with a rosy orange stripe painted down her hull. Hux's ship, the Twilight, was twice the size and had three times the sails, but the glossy black monstrosity couldn't keep up with the smaller, speedier ship. The Ghost finally past it, its occupants making faces at a none-too-amused Vader as they past. 

“Henry, I think they're really going to win!” She couldn't sit still. The crowd roared as the Twilight tried to nudge past the Ghost, banging into the hull. Sunlight reflected off a beam of light that shot out of the Twilight's sail poles. It severed the ropes holding the sails, letting them drop over the Ghost's shocked crew.

“Not fair!” Forgetting himself, Henry leaped out of his chair. “That's cheating!”

Palpatine's ugly smile twisted upwards. “Strange how your leg seems to be much better, Mr. Solo. I'm glad you finally seem to be recovering from your injuries.”

Henry settled back down, but he was still frustrated enough to kill every single man on board Vader's ship, including the Baron. “Just got angry, Your Lordship.” He rubbed his knee, wincing. “And now I'm regretting it.” 

“Yes,” he hissed, “I'm sure you are.” 

Charles rubbed Henry's knee as the Twilight pulled alongside the Rogue. Gazing through her binoculars, Leia spied Luke, Wedge, and their men rushing around, trying to avoid the damaging beams. Luke finally pulled at the ends, just barely avoiding them. 

Vader, as usual, remained impassable. His green glass lens was fixed on the two boats before them. He barely noticed Cedric and Rusty leaning over him, fighting over which boat was closer. As he turned his head towards the deck of the Rogue, almost every man on the deck fell to the ground, clutching their head. Luke was the only one still standing. His mouth dropped open as he caught Wedge, who held his head in pain. He gently set his lover on the deck, then took the wheel himself. 

They were neck and neck. One minute, it would be the Twilight; the next, the Rogue. Hux's poles shot beams again, but Luke managed to dodge them. One final light hit Luke in the arm, singeing his loose-fitting sailor's blouse. Leia could tell from where she was that the burn was superficial, but it was enough for Luke to steer slightly off-course and Hux to pull ahead. 

The Twilight finally crossed the bright yellow ribbon used for a finish line at the main harbor first. The Rogue came in second, followed by a limping Ghost. Leia started down to the main harbors, where the winners would receive their trophies and winnings. She pushed past Henry, ignoring his surprise.

“Leia,” Henry started as they joined the throngs heading for the harbor, “I don't blame you for being mad. Those were some dirty tricks Hux played back there.” He made a face. “I'd like to know what happened to all the men to make them drop like that. Didn't seem to effect the kid.”

“The Force happened.” Leia rubbed her head. “I felt it, too. It wasn't enough to take me down, but the other men...” She waved a slender hand at him. “And don't change the subject. Why did you take that job from Palpatine? You know what the last Death Star Airship did!”

“It's a job, Your Worship,” Henry snapped. “Some of us have to work. Palpatine's paying me good money...”

“That's all you care about.” Leia's voice somehow managed to rise over the surge of race watchers. “I hope you and your wallet are very happy together.”

“Leia...” Henry tried to take her hand, but he was jostled by a couple in a plain linen suits, her carrying a camera. The duchess' black-plumed hat vanished in the crowds. 

Charles just managed to catch Henry before he hit the ground. “What was that all about, my friend?”

“Nothin'. Just...nothin'.” Henry tried to look dignified, even as they were being jostled on all sides. “Let's get out of here. It's time we showed Hux and Vader who the real winners are.”

Luke was down at the docks, angry as a trout caught on a line. “I can't believe Vader did that!” He rubbed his shaggy gold head. “The other guys only just starting getting to their feet.”

“He'd be disqualified for sure if he wasn't Vader's boy,” Charles added. “Are you up to this, little mate?”

“After what Vader did?” Luke's blue eyes blazed. “He deserves this.”

“Don't worry, Junior. He'll get what's comin' to him, and more.” Henry leaned over Luke, whispering in his ear. “Did you get the outfits?”

Luke nodded. “Borrowed them from Wedge's sisters. But why...”

“You'll see, kid.” Henry started down a narrow side path towards the country club. “You still sure you want to leave?”

“Yeah. I'll be back, Henry.” Luke's smile was brighter than the incandescent July sunlight. “I promise.” He laughed as Charles gave him a huge hug that nearly knocked him over. He scratched his towering friend's shoulder. “You too, Charlie.”

Henry just nodded. “You be careful.”

“I will.” Luke put his arm around him. “Now, let's go make ourselves beautiful.”

As they made their way down the hill, Luke saw a familiar man in a green and red suit talking to Vader and Palpatine on the porch at Bast Manor. It was the same man Leia claimed she saw while shopping a few weeks ago. When he looked back over his shoulder one last time, all three were gone.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Leia followed the crowds down to the stands by the harbor. The stands were hasty wooden constructions covered in soft fabric for its aristocratic crowds. Peasants, Wookie natives, and the working-class had to settle for either bringing their own chairs or standing room only in the back. 

“Leia!” Ahsoka waved her over. “Over here! They're just about to start awarding the trophies!” The reporter was perched on a seat at the bottom of the stands. She sported a light brown suit with bow in the back the color of the sunset and a matching hat. Jyn, who was setting up the accordion-like camera, was far less ostentatious in her plain linen dress and ribbon-trimmed straw boater. Cassian, dressed in a light cap and soft suit with a narrow white cotton tie, interviewed two men about the close call in the race.

“Ahsoka!” She gave her a hug, settling next to her on the thin wooden bench. “I'm glad you're here. At least there's someone around I can trust.” Her next words were spoken in a whisper. “Did you see what happened out there? More importantly, did you feel it?”

The taller woman gave her a slight nod, her lips a tight line. “Yes, I felt it.” She rubbed her head. “Nearly knocked me over. I'm still a little nauseous. That's why Cassian's doing the interviewing. I'm taking notes.”

“That dirty, double crossing, cheating swine!” Jyn emerged from under the black cloth on the end of the camera, red-faced and angry as a hornet. Black dust was smudged across her cheek and liberally sprinkled over her thick brown bun. “I know Vader had something to do with this. Hux isn't smart enough to come up with it on his own.”

“I agree.” Ahsoka wiped her brow. “I hope they start this soon. It's going to be too hot to be standing out here, and we really need to get all this back to the Daily Star office and start the article on the Regatta.”

Leia's eyes were searching the harbor. “Has anyone seen the Rogue yet?”

“The ship, she is there.” Cassian returned with a pad of paper under his arm. “The crew, she is not. I interview one of the crew members, a Mr. Wes Janson. He say that the men, they are all at officials' building, telling them about Hux cheating.”

Leia crossed her arm. “Well, somebody should. Those were dirty tricks he and his bossed pulled.”

The stands were jam-packed with aristocrats and nobles in crisp white organdy dresses and beige linen suits. Bright flowered hats and stiff boaters added a dash of color to the scene. One especially fat woman with a wide hat over her long nose had somehow managed to stuff her girth into a frilly crimson and gold lace gown. Her companion, a pretty blond in a daisy-trimmed yellow hat, hid all but her sky-blue eyes behind a lace fan. A group of raucous young men in white and yellow blazers and red blouses guffawed over some lewd joke behind them. Men in black uniforms spread a dark, gritty sawdust around the road leading to the victors' stands.

Hux stood on the winner's stand, already holding roses. His narrow, pale face was insufferably smug. He grinned at her over Hera's black-braided head. Leia sniffed and turned to Jyn to help her with the camera. 

Palpatine and Vader's arrival was accompanied by a full marching band, wearing the bright orange and white uniforms of Naboo. Leia scanned the crowd, searching for Henry or Charles, but they seemed to have made themselves scarce.

“There you are!” Cedric hurried up to them, followed with less haste by Rusty. “Where have you been? The senator and grand duchess were terribly concerned when you went running off. They thought you'd be abducted by the Crimson Hawk, or even worse, crushed in the crowds.”

“I'm fine.” Leia chuckled. “You worry too much.”

Rusty rolled his eyes. “I've been telling him that for years.”

“Well, someone has to keep an eye on things, you overweight blob of grease,” Cedric snapped. “You certainly aren't going to do it. Do you have any idea of where your employers or that Wookie native are?”

The shorter man shrugged. “They're around.”

“Shh!” Jyn waved a hand at them. “Save the music hall comedy act for later. The show's starting.” 

Palpatine had just begun making a long, drawn-out speech about what a fine boat he had. He made sure to emphasize that Baron Vader had designed it, barely mentioning Hux or the other crew members. Hera still looked ready to dump Hux as quickly back into the river as possible, and Wes wasn't much happier.

Leia's eyes started to droop. Three men in the stands, including the rotund fellow in the uniform, check their pocket watches. The heat continued to bear down on them. She could almost see it in waves. It was making her sleepy. She wondered if she were dreaming of the swaying motion of the stands under her.

“Damn it!” Ahsoka's long fingers snatched up her beaded purse. “Leia, move it! The stands are coming down!”

They got off just in time. They were with Jyn on either side of her camera as it went off...capturing the stands' collapsing to the sandy ground with a sickening crunch of cheap wood and frill-encased bodies. People rolled helter-skelter as others shoved broken boards aside, searching for loved ones.

The rolly-polly woman in the frilly red outfit emerged first...but she was no longer fat or wearing frills. The fancy gown had hidden a red blouse, black vest, and tight black trousers. “It's him!” Vader hissed. “The Crimson Hawk!” He waved his sizzling ruby-colored electrical sword at the man. “Don't just stand there, you fools! Get him!”

The soldiers had no sooner started to move than they tripped all over each other. Vader didn't have much more luck. “What's this?” He ran his finger over the sticky brown spot. “Smells like...glue.”

The man in the hood and green-tinted goggles bowed, sweeping off his organdy, flower-bedecked hat. “My own special recipe, Baron. There's nothing it doesn't stick to, including leather and rubber-soled shoes.” 

“Crimson Hawk,” Leia yelped, “watch out!” Soldiers in gray Coruscant or bright orange Naboo uniforms stormed out of the country club and from in back of the other stands. 

Leia's mouth dropped open when Ahsoka pulled two metallic electrical swords like the Golden Eagle's from under her coat. “Before you ask how I have these,” Ahsoka nodded at the Golden Eagle, who was pulling off his white organdy dress, “I used to be a Jedi, too. I'll explain another time. For now, we need to keep those soldiers from doing any damage to the Hawk or anyone else.”

Cedric and Rusty ducked among the battered, bloodied people emerging from the stands. “I say, this is terrible!” Cedric was wringing an embroidered handkerchief, his face pale with pure terror. “What are we going to do? Those ruffians could rob us, or kill us, or worse, delay the start of the next race!”

“At this point, I'm gonna say the races are over.” Rusty patted Ahsoka on the shoulder. “Hey there, Snips. I promised I'd help...the Golden Eagle with a side project of his. He needs someone to drive him to Dagobah.”

“Dagobah?” Leia wrinkled her nose. “That's all marshes and swampland. Barely anyone lives there. What's he want with marshland?”

Rusty shrugged. “Search me. He's lookin' for Liang Yoda. I thought that ol' cuss was long gone.”

Ahsoka chuckled. “You're not exactly one to talk, Rusty.” 

Cedric let out a gasp. “Miss Tano, behind you! Oh, this is so bad for my digestion!”

Ahsoka turned around as several soldiers rushed to her rear. “We're going to have to confiscate that photographic equipment, ma'am.” The officer in the gray and white uniform held out his hand for her pad and pencil. “Vader wants all the evidence.”

Jyn was fighting two more soldiers for the camera. “That's censorship of the press, you bloody swine!” Cassian yelled something probably uncomplimentary in Spanish and lunged for them, wrestling three at once. Jyn elbowed two more, sending them sprawling against the remains of the stands.

Bubbling yellow liquid crackled in the blazing August sunlight. Three soldiers lay dead at Ahsoka's feet. Leia walloped three more on the head with her steel-shafted parasol. Rusty jabbed at them with his ubiquitous tool belt. Cedric stayed behind Rusty, trying not to get hit too hard.

Leia looked up as dozens of figures emerged from the sky, leaping from the roof of the club or swinging from trees. “Hey there, Duchess.” The Crimson Hawk grinned ear to ear, the brown hair under his hood barely ruffled, as he landed directly alongside Leia. “Miss me?”

The Golden Eagle landed on her other side. His grin glowed brighter than the hot sun overhead. “I'm so glad you're all right, Your Grace!”

“Flirt later.” Ahsoka got her arm around Cassian as one of the Crimson Hawk's men took his other side. “Get out of here now. There's too many of them to deal with. We got our story.”

“Mate,” the taller man with the bushy brown hair visible under his hood added, “I just saw three more troops of Vader's boys on their way, and some of Palpatine's, too. We don't need to be dealin' with them now. I already let the Wookie natives who were tendin' to the house loose.”

“Your Grace, we really should be leaving.” Cedric tugged on her arm. “This is turning into a riot! If we remain here, we may be crushed or stabbed or trampled on.”

Jyn hefted her camera under one arm and her tripod over her shoulder. “We'll tell your aunt and Senator Mothma you and Cedric took a carriage back into town.”

“Where's Henry?” Leia tried to pick out his glossy chestnut head and Charles' furry beard from the chaos. “And Charles? Shouldn't we go back for them?”

The Crimson Hawk spoke quickly. “Henry's fine. He and Charles left before the fight started.”

“Hawk, we have to go!” The Golden Eagle grabbed his arm. “Vader's coming. I can sense it.”

He was too late. They were surrounded before they had a chance to whip out their weapons. The Crimson Hawk put up his hands, still smiling. “Hi there, Vader. If you don't mind, we'll just leave.”

Vader, Hux, and every man in his group now stood in their stocking feet. “Oh no you don't, Hawk. We're not going to let you off that easily.” 

Hux's sneer wasn't nearly as intimidating as his boss' lack of expression. “We arrested your friend Wes Janson down at the docks the moment the ceremony ended.”

Vader drew his ruby electrical sword out of its black rubber sheath, aiming it at Ahsoka. “Tano, you should not have interfered.” 

“Ana...Vader.” Ahsoka's deep ocean-colored eyes were more sad than angry. “You don't want to do this, Skyguy. Not to them. Not to him.”

Vader ignored her. “Arrest them. Arrest them all.” His sword switched to Luke. “Except the Golden Eagle and Miss Tano. I want them in the parlor of my suite at Bast Manor.” He waved his sword at the Crimson Hawk. “And I want him dead. He's been a thorn in my side for two years now.”

“Sorry, Vader. We can't always have everything we want, can we?” The Hawk drew his gun and shot off a light beam. Vader blocked it with his weapon, but it was enough. He grabbed Leia's hand and ducked through the crowd. The Golden Eagle cut through two more men and pushed two spectators running for the exit aside, three more of their men, including the tall one, following. Rusty dragged Cedric along, throwing tools and bringing up the rear. Soldiers dropped nets over the rest, including one short but sturdy fellow with black hair under his hood and bright blue eyes.

Vader yanked off his hood and goggles. “Wedge Antilles, local ship captain for hire. Doesn't the Senator pay you enough?” The half-mechanical man coughed delicately. “Or even Mr. Solo's ward? I'm aware of your little understanding.” He grabbed Wedge by the collar of his red shirt. “Tell me who your employer is and where he went to.”

Wedge answered by spitting in his face. Hux rushed over, quickly wiping the spittle off with his handkerchief. “They can join their friends at the dungeons under Nabarrie Palace. I'll take care of them after we've found the ring leaders.” 

~*~*~*~*~*~

The Golden Eagle dashed down to the harbor. “There's only a few guards by the Rogue. They shouldn't be too hard to get by.”

“How?” The squat repairman was breathing hard when they hid inside the pavilion on the fishing pier. “They're all armed, and even if you are, I've only got m'tools.” 

“Easy.” The Golden Eagle simply waved his hand at the four men standing by the gangplank. They looked towards the duo, but didn't seem to really see them. They dashed up the plank and over to the wheel house. 

“How the hell did you do that, son?” Rusty scratched what little silver hair he had left on his head. “The Force?”

“Ben taught me how to do that.” He switched on the steam engine. “Strap yourself in, Rusty. We're going to Dagobah.”

Rusty's “What?! That swamp?” was drowned out by the roar of the engines and the sound of gunfire as their departure drew more soldiers from the piers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last part I'm going to put out for over a week. I'm going to be on vacation until next Wednesday and won't be doing any more work on this story until then.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Leia and the others escape Vader, Luke and Rusty take the slow river to Dagobah to find former Jedi Guard Master Liang Yoda.

Leia was getting worried. “Where are we going?”

“Where Vader and his goons aren't.” The tallest man was tossing people left and right, trying to clear the way for his friend and leader. The Crimson Hawk was gritting his teeth. “Nothing's going right today. This wasn't supposed to happen.”

“Oh yeah?” Leia glared at him. “And what was supposed to happen?”

“We were going to free a couple of indentured Wookie servants in the club and Bast Manor.” The Crimson Hawk patted a small velvet purse. “And relieve a few rich people of their unnecessary valuables.” Long gloved fingers tugged at the gun on his hip. “We'll talk about it after we drop you off and rendezvous at...at our usual spot.”

“Oh no.” Leia planted her feet firmly besides him. “I'm coming with you. You know I can keep a secret. Whatever you're doing, I won't tell Vader or Palpatine or anyone else.”

The Hawk faced her down, shaking his head. “It'll be safer for all involved if you're at home with your aunt and the Senator, where you belong. There's enough people who either know who I am or suspect as it is.”

He'd just stomped into the parking lot when she said softly “Henry, I can help you. We can help you, if you'll let us.” 

The long jaw nearly hit the dirt. “How did you...”

Cedric's long legs allowed him to keep pace with them. He opened his mouth before the Hawk could continue. “Pardon me for saying so, Mr. Hawk, sir, but we have far worse problems. Baron Vader not only incarcerated your men, but he revealed one to be Captain Wedge Antilles. I was shocked! I thought he was a such a good man! Vader's on his way here now to arrest the rest of you.”

“That's it. We're getting outta here.” Henry grabbed Leia around her torso and deposited her in the back of the first carriage he could find. It was an ancient, splintering red brougham driven by slightly sleepy-looking brown and white mares. Charles picked up the squawking Cedric by his collar, dropped him next to Leia, and got in the driver's seat alongside his employer. 

“I've seen toy carriages in better shape than this!” Leia poked her head out the battered window. “Would it help if I got out and pushed?”

Henry may have glared back at her. It was hard to tell through those green lenses. “It might!” It took several moments of shaking the reins, but the two mares finally awoke enough to send them flying down the dirt road along the river.

The horse careened around a corner, sending the occupants bouncing into each other. “Oh, this is suicide!” Cedric wailed, rubbing his rear. “How did people of our quality get caught up in this mess?”

Three black and gray Coruscant carriages thundered down the road behind them. They were the most unusual carriages she'd ever seen. Each one had two pipes on either side, filled with bubbling red liquid. She screamed and ducked as one of the pipes fired, sending a beam of scarlet light over their heads. 

“Henry,” Leia called to the back, “where are we going?”

He took a bend in the road so fast, they were almost on two wheels. “The Junk Pickers' yard near Lothal. We'll need a better ride than this if we're gonna make it to Bespin. I have a buddy there who might be able to help us.” His black-gloved hand tossed her a gleaming brass gun, with its curved red and black pieces and bubbling blue liquid. “Here. Keep them busy while I navigate through town.”

Leia took the gun in her fingers. Despite the brass, it was lighter than the pistols she was used to, and warmer. She leaned out the window and fired at the buggy behind them, burning three men and distracting the driver enough for him to go rolling into the cliffs below them. There was less of a kickback, too. The blast of an ordinary gun was replaced by the crackle of electricity all around them as the firing continued.

Cedric wailed as an ordinary bullet flew under his long nose. “Oh, do be careful! Someone could be grievously injured, and I really don't want it to be me!” 

“Wish this was the Falcon.” Henry cracked the reins as hard as he could. “These nags are barely running. The Falcon can take speeds up to 100 miles per hour.”

Charles rolled his eyes. “When the bloody engine's working, mate.” He shot off his own gun, knocking three more into the river.

“It just needs a few more tweaks, and it'll be perfect.” Henry swung the horses off the river road and onto a narrower, rock-strewn road. “Right now, it's the only way we're gonna outrun these jerks.”

“We'll never outrun them,” Cedric wailed, clutching the sides of the running board. “Mr. Hawk, I'm sure our chances of survival are approximately three hundred and seventy five to one!”

Henry didn't even look at him. “Never tell me the odds!”

There was only one cart left, the largest belonging to Vader. This one was more angular and elaborate, with larger tubes and steel-tipped ends. They came up close enough for their end to jab into the cart, smashing part of the back.

“Henry, faster!” Leia shot two more officers, but Vader only knocked her beams away. “They're gaining on us!”

“They're going as fast as they were made to, sweet...owww!” Vader's last shot had been knocked off its course by one of the yawning holes in the road. He'd intended to shoot Henry in the back. The sudden jolt knocked his arm slightly to the side, sending the beam bouncing into Henry's right shoulder. Henry clutched his badly burnt arm, the red fabric of his shirt actually smoking.

“Bastard!” Charles screamed over his shoulder. “You're gonna pay for that!” 

Leia quickly shimmied into the front seat. “Charles, get him in the back with Cedric. He's in no condition to drive.”

“It's ok, Leia. Really.” Henry pulled his gloved fingers away from his right arm...revealing dark red stains on the thick leather. “I've dealt with worse injuries.”

“Her Grace is right, Han. You can't drive like that.” Charles took the reins as Leia helped gently push Henry into Cedric's thin, gold-clad arms. The big man effortlessly spurred the animals along, barking something in his own, growling language. 

“When will we be in Lothal?” Leia held onto her hat as they went wildly around another corner. She looked over her shoulder. “At least we seem to have lost Vader and his boys for the time being.”

“Within twenty minutes, Your Grace.” Charles called over his shoulder. “Golden boy, see if you can find a blanket or a clean sheet or something to cover that injury until we get to the junk yard. There's a first aid kit on the Falcon.” 

“There's a woven blanket, but it's terribly frayed and tattered.” Cedric wound the blanket as tight as he could around Henry's damaged shoulder. “There. That should work for now, Mr. Hawk.”

“Great,” Henry muttered. “Now I can't feel my arm.”

“Well,” sniffed Cedric, “of all the ungrateful people! I suppose I shouldn't expect more from an ill-mannered desperado.”

“Goldenrod, it's me!” Henry pulled off his goggles. “Henry Solo. Don't ask me what we're doing here. It's a long story.”

“Goodness gracious!” Cedric was flabbergasted. “Who would have ever guessed?”

“I did.” Leia smirked. “I guessed over a month ago, when you rescued me. I just didn't have proof.” 

They finally pulled into the junk yard around dusk. Charles slapped the flanks of the two horses as soon as they were all out. “You return to your masters, old girls. And thanks for the lift.”

“Must we come here?” Cedric wrinkled his long nose. “Why couldn't you have kept the Falcon in a location that smelled better?”

“'Cause this is the last place anyone would look for them.” Henry's burned arm was now in a make-shift sling. “Charlie, you get down to the ship. I'll take them through the workshop.”

Charles nodded, gathering Henry's goggles and their velvet pouches. “Right, mate.” He headed for the trash heap in the back of the shack as Henry took them through the corrugated metal door.

The last thing Leia expected was to find a full-blown chemical laboratory and metal workshop within the shack's rusted walls. While not as elaborate as the one in the small house at Corellia Manor, there were still plenty of tubes with bubbling blue liquid dripping into dully glittering glass beakers. Piles of junk were stacked by what appeared to be the mock-up engine Leia saw at the fair. Tattered maps of Naboo, Coruscant, and the Alliance were hung on hooks on the wall. 

“I can't believe you managed to get this all in here.” Leia picked up a box that was similar to the one Luke and Henry held on the Death Star. She nearly dropped it when it crackled to life, revealing Luke's voice. 

“Crimson Hawk? Henry?” The young man sounded far-away, as if he were straining to call over great distances. “Rusty and I are on our way to Dagobah. Are you all right?”

Henry swept the box into his good hand. “Hey, kid. We're at the shack for the moment. Charlie's getting the Falcon ready for take-off. Leia and Goldenrod are here, too. We're gonna spend a few days in the Bespin Mountains.” 

“Leia and Gol...Cedric?” Luke's voice rose several decibels, causing the box to crackle and sputter. “What are they doing there? How did they...”

“We figured out what was going on,” Leia called. “Don't worry. We swear we won't tell.”

“What would we tell?” Cedric added, scratching his head. “I don't understand any of this!”

“Kid, I think we'd better clear the waves. Vader may try following us.” His voice became less gruff and a bit warmer. “May the Force be with you, Junior.” Anything else Luke might have said was drowned out in a burst of static.

Cedric was peering out the window. “Sir, it might be my imagination, but I think we're being watched.”

“What?” Henry leaned over the man in the gold suit. “Damn it to hell! He's here!”

“He who?” Leia's eyes followed him. She just barely caught sight of the man who had chased them in Ord Mantell before Henry was ushering her to the back wall. “Wait, my purse!” She managed to grab that as he pushed at what appeared to be a rustier-than-usual patch of metal. “What are you doing?”'

“Fettson found us. Probably followed us. Damn it! We should have abandoned the carriage earlier.” Henry tore several maps off the walls, then gathered a stack of paper in his one good arm. “Cedric, grab the engine. If Fettson's found us, it's a good bet Vader's not far behind. He'll tattle to anyone who'll pay him.”

“I'm not handling that...oomph!” Cedric's whining was cut off when Leia shoved half the engine in his arms. 

“I'll help you.” She draped her purse on her wrist and took the other side. “Let's go. Oh, and when we're on the ship, how about explaining a few dozen things to me, Solo? Like you lying about your injuries, and why you're really doing this?”

“I'll tell you everything when we're on the ship.” Henry stepped back as the rusty panel slid in, revealing a set of shiny glass buttons. His gloved fingers tapped out a code over the glass. A taller panel in the swung opened like an ordinary door. A set of metal stairs lit with eerie green gas lamps lead down into the bowels of the Earth under the junk yard. 

Henry stepped into the darkness first. “All clear,” he assured them. “Follow me.”

The steps were narrow and seemed to go on forever. It felt like hours before they emerged in what appeared to be a wide metal garage. Engines, wheels, mechanical parts, and shelves filled with tools lined the shiny walls. The Falcon, only looking slightly less patched than she had a month and a half before, rose majestically in the center of the chaos.

Charles dropped the gang plank. “She's ship-shape and ready to go, Captain,” he insisted, saluting Henry. 

“Good.” Henry nodded at Leia and Cedric. “Goldenrod, bring the engine. Charles, get the boosters fired up. Leia, help Cedric. I'll open the roof.”

He darted over to a small box attached to a tube on the wall as Charles pushed several buttons and a lever in the same panel as the ship's wheel. Leia and Cedric had just dropped the engine on the deck when the gyro near the center mast began turning. The blue liquid in the smoke stack boiled rapidly, until it glowed like a priceless sapphire. 

Henry swung open the door to the box and pushed two brass levers. Leia's eyes flew up as the curved aluminum ceiling above their heads began opening. Bits and pieces of trash and metal hung precariously over the edges. 

“You turned a trash heap into a hangar?” Leia grinned. “I take back most of what I said about you, Mr. Solo. You're slightly brilliant.”

“Thank you.” Henry lead Leia and Cedric in the main galley. “Ok, everyone, strap yourselves in. Next stop, Cloud City!”

Vader looked up just in time to see the Falcon blast through a one of the junk piles and into the hazy summer sky, leaving a trail of blue energy in its wake. He adjusted the green glass lens to stare at the man in the green suit next to him. “Are you sure they'll be going to Bespin?” 

“Oh yeah.” A sharp-toothed sneer tugged on Fettson's swarthy face. “Old buddy of Solo's lives there. He's pretty in the money now. It's the first place he'd look.”

“We must get there ahead of them.” Vader narrowed his eyes. “And are you certain that Luke Skywalker wasn't among them?”

Fettson shook his head. “He took off in Antilles' ship after the Regatta. He and Solo's handyman are missin'. None of my boys can find them anywhere, an' my boys are the best.”

“I know how to draw him out.” Vader was already striving across the junk yard. “We'll have to take the Death Star to Bespin. It's the only way to catch up with them.”

“But sir,” a tall, gaunt Imperial officer protested, “it's not quite...”

He was gasping before he could even move. “I need that ship, Piett, not excuses. You'll order your men to prepare the Death Star for me.” The green glass eye returned to observing Fettson. “You'll follow me in your carriage. I may still have some work for you.”

“Good. My boss is getting tired of waiting for his shipment.” Fettson fingered a long, black pistol in his coat pocket. “He wants Solo's head on a silver platter.”

“He'll get it.” Vader moved his emerald monocle to stare mechanically into the now-empty sky. “I think I have a way of giving us both what we want.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Luke couldn't have had a worse couple of days. First of all, they got lost. He had to stop by a pier and ask a fisherman where Dagobah was. When he did ask, the fisherman gave him the strangest look he ever seen, though he did give him the directions. They had to stay as close to the shores as they dared in order to avoid Imperial steam ships and ran into at least three sand bars. 

After the third time they hit the sand bar, Rusty fell overboard. He'd gone to check the damage and ended up swimming after a wave hit the side of the ship. At least, Luke thought it was a wave. To his horror, it was the biggest fish he'd ever seen, a behemoth with massive teeth and scales. He couldn't attack him with his electrical sword – he'd either electrocute himself or short it out. He jabbed at the creature with a boat pole until it spat Rusty onto the shore.

“You're lucky you don't taste very good,” Luke joked when he finally managed to lead the boat onto the marshy banks and rush to Rusty's side. “Anything broken?”

“Nahh, kid, I'm fine.” The shorter man let his young friend help him to his feet. “Takes a lot more than some river monster to put me out of commission.” His eyes roved to the tangle of ancient trees and vines that lined the shore. “I told you this was a bad idea. Where the hell is this, the Amazon?”

Luke sighed. “I'm beginning to agree with you.” He started back towards the boat. “We'll stay here for tonight, then start out looking for Yoda in the morning.”

As it turned out, they didn't have to look for Yoda. He found them two hours later. Rusty set up a fire to cook a can of beans for their dinner while Luke munched on an old carrot. 

“Rusty,” Luke began, “there's something strange about this place.”

The short handyman snorted. “That's putting it mildly.”

Luke's eyes roved to the woods. “I don't know. I have this feeling like...like...”

“Feel like what?”

The boy had been taught to shoot by Han Solo, one of the greatest quick-draws ever to live. The light gun was out of his holster in a second. “Like we're being watched.”

“Away with your weapon. I mean you no harm.” Stick-like arms moved from a withered, slightly greenish face, revealing an elderly Asian man in a tattered robe. “I am wondering, what bring you here?”

Luke decided that this little fellow couldn't do any harm. “I'm looking for someone.” 

His new friend showed a grin with a few sharp teeth left. “Looking? Found someone you have, I say.” The tiny being shuffled over to the crates of parts Luke brought to the shore when they ran aground. “Help you get your ship off sand, I will!

“Hey!” Tools and parts flew in every direction. “Don't play with those! They aren't toys!” 

“Yoda, would you knock it off?” Rusty emerged from the water with two trout nearly the same size as him. “Quit pickin' on the kid. He's had a rough couple of days. So have I, for that matter. Neither of us are in the mood for your idea of funny.” He snatched an electrical torch out of the little man's wizened hands.

“Grouchy, you always were.” Luke's eyes widened as the tiny man poked a wizened claw into Rusty's arm. “No fun, you were. Wanted to test the boy, I did. Just as troublesome during the Alliance Wars.”

“Some of us aren't in the mood to argue with masters.” Rusty pulled out a knife and threw the fish against a towel he lay on a log. “Luke Skywalker, meet Liang Yoda, the oldest surviving member of the Jedi Guards.”

“Liang Yoda.” Luke sat down hard. “If you're a Jedi, you know why I'm here.”

“Yes, I do.” Yoda poked his gnarled walking stick at the boy. “Wish to become Jedi, like Baron Skywalker. He was too old when Quenton Jinn brought him to us, and you are too old.”

Sir Benjamin Kenton's disembodied voice seemed to float in from the tree tops. “But you ended up assigning me to mentor him anyway. That too-old child saved the entire country when he shot out the front line of soldiers blockading Theed Town in 1844.”

“Marlin Windu's idea, it was. Not mine.” Yoda poked Luke with the stick again. “You are like him, too reckless. Always looking to the future, the horizon. Never your minds on where you were, what you were doing. Always crave adventure, you do.”

“So did I, as a young learner, if you remember.” Ben's voice echoed among the trees. “So did Quenton, and he was one of the best masters the Guards ever had.”

Yoda seemed to be talking to the air. “Will he finish what he begins?”

“I will.” Luke saluted him. “I won't fail you, Master. I'm not afraid.”

“Good,” Yoda said gruffly. “You will be, boy.” Rusty snorted, but said nothing.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry, Leia, and the crew of the Falcon finally arrive in Bespin...but Luke suspects all is not well...

It took much longer than planned for the Falcon to make it to Bespin, closer to two weeks than the few days Henry originally planned. The ship broke down at least five times. The new engine wouldn't work. The khyber crystals bubbled too rapidly; the ensuing steam nearly blew them into the stratosphere. The turbo boosters he'd built into the engine to give it an extra kick kept stalling. 

He and Charles spent a lot of that week on the ground in the Alderaanian woods, trying to repair the damage. Leia did the best she could to aid them. She took over much of the work that Henry's scorched arm made him unable to do. Cedric fussed over Henry's arm, ignoring his complaints that it was healing fine and he didn't need a mother, thank you.

Leia found Henry in the Captain's Quarters almost a week after the Regatta. They'd just taken off again, having finally repaired the engines enough to fly. “Hi, Henry. Charles is driving. Cedric's reading in one of the downstairs rooms.” She gave him a small grin. “I didn't know you were such a lover of romantic literature. Frankenstein, most of the works of Jane Austin and Jules Verne. The Verne shouldn't surprise me, but the Austin...”

“That's the kid.” Henry looked over his shoulder from the navigational chart he was studying. “My tastes run more towards American western novels and adventure stories.” He liked what he saw. Leia had traded her fancy white and black gown for a gold blouse and tight trousers borrowed from Luke's closet. Her flowing brown hair remained in its tight braided crown, but the hair was messy and stuck out in all directions. Pink cheeks and white hands were smeared with grease and khyber liquid. The blouse and the trousers clung to her in ways that emphasized her not-inconsiderable curves. The golden hawk pendant glowed against her delicate skin.

“You look...good, Leia,” he managed to stammer. “Softer, somehow.” He put his sexton aside as she pulled a chair up next to him. “Leia, how did you figure out who I was? Even Vader and Palpatine haven't put two and two together.”

“Vader and Palpatine only know Henry Solo, the businessman.” Leia lay her head on Henry's shoulder. “They haven't met Han Solo, the former pirate who took in a boy and his mentor when they had nowhere else to go, or frees Wookie slaves because his manservant is one of them, or brings food to the needy, or invents talking boxes and cutting lights that would boggle Thomas Edison.” 

She gave him a little grin. “Besides, it was obvious. You and Luke and the Crimson Hawk and Golden Eagle were never in the same place at the same time. Your outfit looked like it was thrown on at Mon Mothma's party...because it was.” 

“Yeah, it was.” He leaned in for a gentle kiss. “I guess I can't fool you, Your Worship. How long have you been onto us?”

“Since you rescued me.” She nibbled on his ear. “How long have you been faking that injury?”

“It wasn't fake. Not at first.” Henry winced and rubbed his right knee. “My knee cap actually was shattered by a bullet, and that is part of why I gave up my pirating career. That and I'd already met the kid and old man by then. They helped me get Solo Shipping up and running while I was still on crutches.”

Leia waved her hand at the maps. “Why are you doing this? Why pose as folk heroes, not to mention get Luke and Wedge and Charles and all the others involved?”

“You rebel in your way, sweetheart. I rebel in mine.” Henry turned to his maps, but his face was turning red. “I never agreed with the Coruscant Empire's treatment of the natives from Kashyakk Island. I met Charles when I joined the Coruscant Navy after a few...altercations...in the US. I stopped a couple of officers from beating him. They didn't take it too kindly. Stripped me of my commission and threw me out, but Charlie stayed with me. Said he owed me a debt. He's been my best friend ever since.”

“I can understand that,” Leia admitted, “but why Luke and Sir Kenton?”

He pulled her closer. “What I'm about to tell you can't go outside this room. Charles and Rusty are the only ones still alive besides me who know.” He leaned into her ear, whispering softly. “I'm doing this because Luke is...”

“Captain Solo!” Cedric barged in without knocking. “Charles wanted to tell me that we're back on course. The turbo engines have been repaired!” His round gold eyes widened even more at the sight of Leia nearly on Henry's lap. “Captain Solo! Your Grace! You're not married yet! What would your parents say?”

They both coughed, quickly pushing away. “Thank you, Goldenrod,” Henry grumbled.

Cedric ignored the sarcasm. “You're perfectly welcome, Captain.”

Henry sighed, turning back to the maps. “If my coordinates are correct, we should be in Cloud City within 24 hours.” He grinned at her. “You'll like it, Your Grace. Nice resort town. Really high-end. You'll fit right in. I have a buddy who owns a house there.”

Cedric gulped. “Captain, how do you plan on getting us around the border patrols? Naboo's battle carriages and steam ships will be searching for this ship, and ships like it.”

“Simple.” Henry sketched around the harbor. “There's a garbage scow that leaves from Hoth Harbor up north. It's tall enough to hide behind until we get into the open air again.” His small smirk returned. “When they dump the garbage, we'll just float away.”

“With the rest of the garbage.” Leia chuckled and leaned against his shoulder as Cedric shuffled out to relay the coordinates to Charles. “You do have your moments. Not many of them, but you do have them.”

Henry's blush after she kissed his cheek was reply enough.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

While Henry and Leia spent the two weeks in each others' arms, Luke spent it being trained by Yoda. He'd never run so fast, leaped so high, swung so far, or practiced so often in his entire life. He spent his mornings jumping through the bayou with Yoda in a pack on his back. In the evenings, he listened with rapt attention to Yoda and Rusty's stories about the Jedi and the Alliance Wars. The stories often ended with them arguing over one point or another. After they went to bed, Luke stayed up long into the night studying the ancient Jedi texts Yoda kept on a shelf in his little hut.

Luke learned a great deal about the Jedi Guards and the Force. Yoda spoke of the dark and light sides, of the khyber crystals that were made into the special light swords that only the Guards used. “Sith are guards who use their powers for evil. Dark side, they are,” the little man explained while riding on Luke's back. “Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, as it did Obi-Wan's first apprentice.”

“Vader.” Breathing hard, Luke managed to look over his shoulder at the little man. “Is the dark side stronger?”

“No,” Yoda admitted. “Quicker, easier, more seductive. Light may not always be easy, but our hearts know that good, it is.” 

Luke, Yoda, and Rusty explored every inch of that swampy peninsula, from the boggy shore to the tops of the gnarled trees. “I can understand why you moved here,” Luke puffed as he climbed a vine-covered tree with Yoda on his back. “Even if Vader did send a battalion of troops, they probably couldn't find anything.”

“This is not the only reason I came here.” Luke set his master on the ground and pulled on his fisherman's sweater. Yoda leaned on his walking stick. “Area has always had many mysteries.” He indicated an opening in a hollow old tree. “That tree. An agent of darkness, it is. They say, dark ghosts live there. Into it, you must go.”

Rusty plopped down next to Yoda, desperately trying to catch his breath. “I don't like this, old man.” 

“For his own good, it is.” Yoda drew on the marshy ground with his walking stick. “Fear, he has. Much fear. Must learn to deal with it.”

As the boy gathered his light sword, his mentor shook his head. “Your weapon. You will not need it.” Luke just rolled his eyes and entered the cave.

When he emerged, over an hour later, his blue eyes were wide and shocked. Rusty went to his side. “You ok, kid?” He patted the boy's back. “You look like you've seen a ghost.”

“I did. I saw Baron Vader. I...I killed him.” His normally tanned face was haunted and white as mist. “I was him. My face was there. I'm...him. Or I could be him.” He groaned, his head dropping to his knees. “I'm never going to be a ruler. Not like Mother was.”

“You failed.” Yoda said simply. “You rushed off without thinking. Had you obeyed me, you would not have seen such things.”

“Lay off the kid! He's got enough trouble without you buggin' him.” Rusty put his arms around Luke, but he pushed him away.

“It's ok, Rusty.” Luke rubbed the back of his neck. “I just need some time alone.”

Rusty was worried. The kid had a lot on his plate. Yoda was a good teacher, but he could be a flat-out jerk at times. He remembered Yoda was better at teaching the younger trainees. Kids loved him. They thought he was hilarious and almost never questioned his rambling or his odd sayings. Twenty-year-old men were another story all together. He knew they weren't going to be able to stay here forever. Sooner or later, either Vader would find them, or Luke's restlessness would assert itself and they would catch up with Henry and Charles or rescue Wedge and his boys. 

A few days after the cave incident, Luke was working on lifting things with his mind while standing on one hand. He lifted rocks. He lifted their lunch, in a black lacquered box Yoda owned. He lifted Yoda. He even lifted Rusty, to his annoyance.

Yoda kept talking, even as he was floating in mid-air. “Concentrate. Allow the visions to come to you. Do not force them.” Luke's eyes were closed, his face a mass of sweat and sand. “Through visions you will see the future, the past. Old friends long gone.”

Luke's eyes snapped open...and they were in shock. “Henry! Leia! Charles!” 

Everything came crashing down – Luke, Yoda, the box with their lunch, the rocks, and Rusty. “What's eatin' ya, kid?” The short older man rubbed his bruised rear end. “That one's gonna smart.”

Yoda was completely unperturbed. “Control, control! You must learn control!”

“I saw...” Luke rubbed his head. “I saw a city in the clouds, way up in the mountains. My friends were there.” Sapphire blue eyes were very close to filling with tears. “They were in pain. Henry...his screams...and Leia...” 

Yoda nodded. “It is future you see.”

“Damn fool Henry.” Rusty rolled his eyes. “What's he gotten himself into now?”

Luke waved Rusty off. “Will they die?”

Yoda shrugged. “Difficult to see. Always in motion, the future.”

“You and your damn mystical talk.” Rusty was already starting towards the boat. “Henry's my boss an' the kid's guardian. Not to mention, a nice girl and two of my best friends are with 'em. If they're in trouble, we gotta go help them.”

“I agree with Rusty.” Luke turned to Yoda. “I have to save them.” His handyman buddy was already loading their luggage onto the deck. 

“If you leave now, help them you could.” The tiny former Jedi shook his head. “But you will destroy all for which they have fought for and suffered.”

Rusty crossed his arms. “Bullshit.”

Luke looked helplessly from the little Asian man on the shore by his feet to the little repairman standing on his ship. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Henry had the most blissful two weeks he'd ever experienced. Cedric's fussing aside, he and the Duchess were getting closer. She helped fix the Falcon's faulty engines. He and Charles taught her to drive the ship. Leia didn't even protest (well, not too much) when he slowly rubbed against her, showing her this dial or that button. She picked it up so quickly, she was helping Charles co-pilot by the end of the week. 

Charles even made them a nice dinner one night from what little they had in their cupboards. Henry had no idea where the two quails they dined on with foraged vegetables from the woods came from. He suspected his old friend did a little illegal hunting during one of their many stops, but given the size of Charles' biceps and his temper, he didn't ask questions.

“We should be in Cloud City by tomorrow.” He held up the glass of wine he'd stolen off a Spanish galleon years ago during one of his pirating raids. “Here's to a quiet, relaxing visit with one of my closest friends.”

They clinked their glasses. “You know,” Leia began after taking a sip, “you haven't told me much about this friend of yours.”

“Langdon Croydon.” Henry chuckled. “Card player. Gambler. Scoundrel. You'd like him.” He took her hand across the table. “Cloud City is mostly a mountain resort, but he did mention running a small copper mining plant in the area along with the town itself. He's loaded, he's influential, he's the town's mayor, and he has no love for the Empire. Has his own fancy villa on the edge of town. This will be the perfect place to hide until the heat is off and I can get you and Cedric back to Chalindria Court.”

Leia's smile made his heart thump a bit harder. “Then you're as good as gone, aren't you?”

For once, Henry didn't know what to say. He should have left for the US weeks ago. He told himself he would, this time. If Bob Fettman was on his trail, he had to go. Fettman wouldn't stop until he brought him to Jenkins, probably in a body bag. Luke would be fine on his own. He had Wedge and his buddies. There was a small part of him, though, that wanted to be where ever the lovely, intelligent duchess was. Fettman could go to hell, where he belonged.

They finally landed in the backyard of Belle Vista late the next afternoon. Henry had to admit, he was impressed. He heard Langdon had done well, but he hadn't expected an elegant classical mansion, complete with all the latest conveniences, from gas lamps to indoor bathrooms. While it wasn't as large or sprawling as Chalindria Court, it was equally beautiful, with blushing pink climbing roses winding around the stone pathway to the glowing copper door.

Leia would have been more impressed if there was anyone outside, but they landed in an empty yard. Long paths wound through exotic greenery and brilliant hot house flowers. The patched Falcon was a wilted dandelion in a sea of perfect summer lilies.

Cedric made a face. “No one to greet us. This friend of yours is rather rude, Mr. Solo.”

“I don't like this.” Leia shuddered as she followed Henry down the gangplank. Everyone was back into the now-cleaned and pressed clothing they'd worn at the Regatta, the only good clothes any of them had at the moment. 

Henry threw up his arms in defeat. “Well, what would you like?” 

“They did let us land here,” Cedric added helpfully. “This is a private residence. They were under no obligation to.”

A handsome man with skin the color of rich cafe au lait and thick, black curls and a silky, curling mustache emerged from the tree-shaded paths. “Henry, you old pirate!” The man wore the latest fashions from Paris, a pale blue linen suit with a matching cape lined in gold silk that fluttered around him in the breeze. “You have a lot of guts coming here, after what you pulled.” Even as Henry's hazel eyes grew large, his lips went from a thin line to a merry grin as he put his arms around his friend. “That doesn't mean I'm not happy to see you. Come here, you idiot.”

“Well,” Cedric admitted cheerfully as the rest of them started towards him, “he seems very friendly.”

Leia wasn't convinced. “Yes. Very friendly.”

Langdon's coffee-colored eyes turned to Leia the moment she came into their view. “Hello, what have we here?” His lips grew into a charming smirk. “I'm Langdon Croydon, administrator and mayor of Cloud City. And who might you be?”

She gave him a small, frosty smile. “Leia.”

Soft hands raised her silk-encased knuckles to coffee-colored lips. “Welcome, Leia. You honor my humble home.”

“All right.” Henry had no intention of sharing this one with his buddy. “Enough, you old smoothie.”

Leia barely noticed Cedric had begun to talk as they made their way across the yard. It was so much fresher than Naboo in August. Here in the mountains, the grass was still green, rather than burned brown, and the ruffled leaves were shady and cool. Delicate lilies and blushing poppies bowed in greeting.

“What's wrong with the Falcon now?” Langdon eyed the patched hull. “What have you done to my ship?”

“Your ship?” Henry smirked. “You lost her to me in that poker game fair and square. I told you I had ideas for her. I just need to get that engine fixed.”

“I'll have people look at it right away.” Langdon grinned. “Wouldn't do anything less for the fastest piece of junk in the Alliance.”

No one even noticed a grumbling Cedric wander off and over to a stone gazebo that overlooked the house...or heard the gunshot.

~*~*~*~*~*~

“The kid's goin', shorty.” Rusty tossed the last crate onto the Rogue. “And that's final.”

“Only a fully-trained Jedi knight can conquer Vader and Palpatine.” Yoda stood on the shore, a few meters from the boat. “If you end your training now, if you choose the quick and easy path, as Vader did, you will become as much of a tool of evil as he.”

Ben's voice echoed among the gnarled treetops. “Patience, Luke!”

“Ben, I figured you'd understand!” Luke shouted into the trees. “Henry took me in. He gave me a home, a job. I owe him more than I can ever repay. And Leia...” His voice became thoughtful. “There's something...just something about her. It's as if I've known her all my life.” He turned on his heel to Yoda. “And what about Charles and Cedric? I can't just sacrifice them! They're my friends!

Yoda poked his stick at him. “If you honor what they fight for? Yes!”

“I'd rather honor what they fight for by makin' sure they're ok.” Rusty glared at the little green man on the shore. “Look, I know you two are scared, but Luke's not like that. Just because we're rescuing our friends from themselves doesn't mean the kid's gonna go off and slaughter every child in a five mile radius.”

Luke's brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

A sigh ruffled damp leaves in the marsh. “Vader murdered an entire school of Jedi trainees to keep them from becoming full Jedi. He burned down the Jedi headquarters and ordered the destruction of almost every member of our order, as well as the royal family. Palpatine wanted no one to stand in the way of his conquest of Europe.” Sir Benjamin's voice softened. “I don't want to lose you the way I lost him, Luke.”

“You won't.” He darted aboard the gangplank. “Fire up the engine, Rusty!”

“Luke,” Ben's voice called, “don't give into hate.”

“Mind what you've learned!” Yoda called after him. 

“I'll come back!” Luke waved to them from the prow as the ship pulled away from the fetid marshes. “I promise!”

“Told you, I did. Reckless is he.” Yoda just shook his head. “Should not have listened to you. Now, matters are worse.”

“You forget.” Ben's voice was hopeful. “There's another.”

“Yes.” Yoda leaned on his stick. “Untrained, they are. Less patient than even Luke. But they may be our last hope.”


	15. Chapter 15

Leia would have enjoyed the hospitality of their host more if a persistent, nagging worry didn't keep gnawing at the back of her brain. They were staying in the largest suite in the back of the house. It wasn't quite as big as the one in Chalindria Court, but it had a sweeping view of the gardens and the repairs on the Falcon. 

Henry was buttoning the red silk gown Langdon loaned her, supposedly from a “lady friend” of his. The gown was tight in the lace-trimmed bosom and a little lower-cut than Leia was used to. The ruffled white front was gathered into an enormous red and white bow with trailing flowers on her bustle. Leia could barely breathe in the get-up, but she had to admit, it looked good on her. One of the maids had swept her flowing velvet locks into two braids, caught up into a bun at the back of her head with a wide red ribbon. 

“You look really nice like this.” Henry finally pulled away. “There. I don't know how you women deal with so many buttons.” He'd settled on a good dinner suit with a navy jacket and light brown trousers. Leia knew the bulge under the jacket arm was where Henry had been shot by the Imperial soldier's gun. Langdon's people had already looked at it, swabbed it and covered it with ointments and poultices they didn't have in the Falcon.

“We have help.” Leia slowly settled down on the red velvet couch by the window. “Henry, we have to leave. Something's wrong here. No one has seen or knows anything about Cedric. He's been missing three days. That's way too long to have gotten lost.”

“Relax, sweetheart.” Henry kissed her forehead. “Charles is out looking for him as we speak, and I'll get Langdon to send out some of his people. It'll be ok.”

“I don't trust Langdon.”

“I don't trust him, either.” Henry took her hand. “He is my friend. We've been through a lot together. We were on the same pirate ship for years. The sooner he gets the Falcon going, the sooner we can be on our way.”

They were about to lean in for a kiss when the door was flung open with a crash. Charles strode in, carrying a battered, bloodied Cedric in his arms. “I found him being kept down in the boiler room by a lot of obnoxious little Junk men,” the big man grunted. “No better than pigs, really.”

Leia ran her fingers in their white silk gloves through Cedric's gold hair. “What a mess. Charles, do you think you can do something with him?”

“I could try.” He shrugged. “Maybe I'll just dump him in a tub of cold water. That'll get him movin'.”

Langdon came in as they were trying to decide what to do about Cedric. He looked even more handsome in his own pale-blue striped serge suit, with its light yellow, ruffle-trimmed shirt and light blue cape. “Hello, everybody. I came to invite you all to a little dinner party I'm having in the dining room.” He grinned wolfishly when he saw Leia. “My lady, you look like every princess of Europe rolled into one. You truly belong with us, among the shining lakes and snow-capped peaks.” 

Leia adjusted her wrap. “Thank you, sir. You look quite attractive yourself.” Henry coughed, but Leia ignored him. It had been some time since anyone gave her a compliment that flowery.

Langdon helped her to her feet. “Would you mind my escorting you, my lady?”

Henry glared at him and took her hand. “She's fine with me.”

His friend remained undaunted. “What about that poor fellow?” He waved his linen-covered hands at Cedric. “Do you need any help getting him to his feet?”

“No!” Henry said, a little too quickly. “No trouble at all. He just needs some rest, that's all.”

A little voice in the back of Leia's head kept screaming that all of this felt fake. Langdon had been the soul of kindness, but there was nervousness and tension under his smooth facade. She could see it, even as they followed his blue-clad servants to the dining hall. She half-listened to Langdon and Henry discussing Cloud City and the profitable copper mines in the mountains.

“Aren't you worried that the Coruscant Empire's going to try to invade and shut you down?” Henry was saying as they were lead into a vast dining hall with a pale flowered wallpaper.

“It's loomed like a shadow over everything we've done here.” Langdon's charming smile finally fell as they came to the long, polished dinner table. “I've just made a deal that'll keep Coruscant out of our way forever.”

To Leia's horror, Vader hovered at the end of the table like a menacing black storm cloud. Charles lunged for him with a Wookie scream she couldn't identify, but two Coruscant soldiers subdued him. Henry's brass light gun was out of his pocket in an instant. He barely fired two shots before it was yanked from his hands and into to a waiting black leather glove.

Vader aimed the gun at the duo. “We would be honored if you would join us, Mr. Solo. Or should I call you the Crimson Hawk?”

Henry held his long chin high. “Vader. Aren't you at the wrong party?”

“I'm sorry.” Langdon's face was impassive, but his lip trembled. “They arrived right before you did.”

The frosty look in Henry's hazel eyes would have frozen stone. “I'm sorry, too.”

“Hello there, Mr. Solo.” The man in the green and red suit Leia saw in Ord Mantell came up behind Vader. “Captain Han Solo, former pirate and owner of the smuggling vessel the Falcon. I've been looking for you for a long time.”

Henry turned his frosty glare to him. “I'll bet you have, Fettson. How long did it take you to tattle on us to this walking junk pile?”

“He's paying fifty thousand credits for you alone, Solo.” The man lifted his hat, revealing a handsome, tanned face with glossy black curls framing a rather nasty smirk. “That's not counting what I get for the native and the runaway duchess.”

“Why don't you sit down?” Two soldiers in white and gray uniforms forced Leia and Henry into chairs as Vader took his seat. Charles shoved the soldier who grabbed his shoulders away and sat down on his own. “Enjoy your dinner. Croydon's chef does remarkable things with the local game. The goose with nut stuffing and cherry sauce is excellent.”

Henry turned his own smirk on Vader. “I'm surprised you care, Gearhead. Don't you take your meals through a straw?” Leia kicked his shin discreetly under the table, but he ignored her. 

“I'm surprised you can appreciate such luxuries.” One of Vader's men placed a spotless silk napkin on his lap. “I was told you grew up as a destitute, orphaned pickpocket on the streets of Chicago.”

Henry broke open a crusty roll. “And I heard you used to be a slave on the Tatoonie Islands in your younger years.” He slathered butter on his bread. Leia had no idea how he could eat so heartily. She hadn't even touched her green salad and tender slices of goose.

“I was. I was fortunate to escape slavery years ago.” Vader's green glass lens swiveled downwards, giving him a good glimpse of Captain Solo and Duchess Organa holding hands under the table. He could feel his temperature rise. It was almost like...like how he and Padme had been at state functions, once. They couldn't keep their hands off each other. It kept him from falling asleep at boring meetings. “You won't be as lucky. Huttman could use strong backs like yours.”

“I was a slave once myself,” Charles roared. “You're crazy if you think I'd go back to it, old man.”

“You and the Duchess will remain here, under Croydon's supervision.” Vader sliced his goose. “I have plans for both of you.” 

Leia glared at him. “I'm sure you do. I've already seen your plans. I have no desire to be involved with them again.” 

“Don't worry, sweetheart.” Solo gently stroked the back of her knuckles. “I won't let him hurt you. I've handled worse.”

Vader's glass eye took in her rubbing Solo's thumb and forefinger tenderly. Solo squeezed her hand and gave her a look that could only be called pure adoration. It was the same look he'd given his beloved Padme, once upon a time. Before he became so much wiser. The duchess would learn that she couldn't always have what she wanted...including roguish pirates. As for Solo, The Crimson Hawk had foiled his plans one too many times. He would be used, then disposed of. 

The moment they finished eating, Leia and Henry were taken back to their suites. The soldiers threw Henry to his knees and stripped off his navy jacket and snow-white silk shirt, binding his wrists to a hook in the wall with his own belt. Two soldiers held Leia, forcing her to watch as Vader pulled out his electrical sword. He drew the tip down Henry's back, just enough to leave heavy, jagged scarlet burns, doing it as slowly as possible to maximize the pain.

Leia gasped as he pressed the very tip of his sword into the burn in his arm, enough to leave a dark red mark...and make Henry's handsome face screw up in shock and terror. No sooner had he slowly pulled the blade away then he ordered one of his men to bring a piece of ice from the kitchen. This was applied to the burn, pushing at it, letting it melt in slow rivulets over the crimson scar. 

After what seemed like hours, Vader finally pulled away, claiming he had other matters to attend to. His men dropped Henry onto the bed like he was a sack of grain before they also took their leave. Leia was grateful to find a small bathroom attached. She discovered a box of medical supplies among the hair tonics and greases. Silk sheets and her petticoats were sacrificed for rags and bandages. She kissed him gently, drying his angry tears and stroking his chestnut waves to calm him.

Charles was tossed in as she gently smeared salve across the scars on his back. The hairy native was followed by Cedric, protesting loudly that his ankle wasn't healed yet, and why couldn't that nasty soldier have some respect for a secretary? “Senator Mothma will hear about this!” The gold-clad man yelled to the back of the door. “You'll all be arrested for kidnapping, larceny, and unlicensed use of a mansion as a military compound!”

“At this point, Golden Boy, I don't think they care.” Charles went to his beloved employer's side. “Henry, are you all right? I heard you howlin' on the next floor, mate.”

Leia smeared a cooling salve on his badly burned arm. “Why are they doing this?”

“They never even asked me any questions.” The industrialist winced as she covered it with slinky white ruffles. “I don't have a clue of what's goin' on. This goes way beyond me n' Langdon, or even me n' Jenkins.”

She and Charles had just finished gently pulling Henry's white silk shirt over his wounds when Langdon arrived, this time with his own men. “Get outta here!” Henry snarled. “You've done enough for one day.”

“Look, I'm here to warn you.” Langdon swept his cloak around his shoulders. “Vader is on his way here as we speak. He's turning Henry over to Fettson as soon as he's ready to leave.”

“Vader wants us all dead.” Leia's hiss sounded remarkably like Vader's.

“He's not after you at all.” Langdon shook his head. “He's after the Golden Eagle. Some kid called Skywalker.”

Henry narrowed his eyes. “Luke. He wants to get him out of that training. Vader used to be a Jedi guard. He knows what it'll mean if the kid becomes one of them.”

Langdon shrugged. “I have no idea. All I know is he and a short man with a bald head and a big mouth were seen in a smaller airship coming up the road to Bespin.”

“Rusty!” Cedric let out a gasp. “He would be noodle-brained enough to encourage Luke to come. He's so impetuous. I knew it would get him into trouble someday!”

“You've fixed us all real good.” Henry didn't care how sore every muscle in his body was. He lunged as hard as he could for Langdon, fists flying. “You're no friend!”

It took two of Langdon's men and three of Vader's to club Henry enough to make him let go. Leia threw herself around him like a shield. “I thought you had everything under control, Croydon,” Vader snapped as he arrived. “I hardly expected to walk in on a bar brawl.”

“It would be a brawl, if your boys would fight fair.” Henry glared at him. “I'd take you on, Vader, if you didn't have an unfair advantage, being a robot and all.”

Bob “Boba” Fettson shoved his long hunting rifle at Henry's chest. “I think we ought to bring him along now, Mr. Vader. Before he makes any more trouble.”

Leia held him even tighter. “I won't let you do this! It's Luke and me you want!”

“You will be held for ransom at Bast Manor.” Vader yanked her from Solo's grasp and shoved her into the arms of one of his men. “The Wookie native and the blond man will be sold in Coruscant as slaves.” 

“What?” Cedric's gold eyes widened. “You can't do that! I'm a regular citizen! I work for Senator Mon Mothma!”

Langdon glared at Vader. “You said they'd be left in Bespin under my supervision!”

“I'm altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further.” His men dragged Henry to his feet. A man clad in the blue and gold police uniform of Cloud City clapped his wrists in handcuffs. Vader bound his arms with chains, making sure to pull hard on his burns. “You, Henry Solo, aka Captain Han Solo, aka The Crimson Hawk, are under arrest. In lieu of a formal trial, Mr. Fettson will bring you to the prime minister of Tatoonie Island, Jenkins Huttman, who will decide your fate.”

Henry sneered, his hazel eyes hot with rage. “I'm surprised you could get all that out of that speaking tube of yours, Robot Man. Didn't think you had it in you.” 

“Bloody bastards!” Charles managed to slam antique chairs over two men's heads and reach for Vader's windpipe before they slapped handcuffs on him. “You let him go! He was only tryin' to help my people and Naboo, you swine!”

“Charlie, save your strength.” Henry patted his friend's bound wrists. “They'll be another time. The duchess...Junior...you have to take care of them. Ok?” 

“Henry.” Charles' voice was a low rumble. “Don't let them do this. You can get away. We can get away.”

“Not this time.” He looked over his shoulder at the quivering man in the tattered yellow linen suit. “You too, Goldenrod. Make sure Rustbucket doesn't do anything too crazy, ok?”

Cedric managed to salute him. “You have my word, Captain.”

Leia kicked her assailant in the shin, long enough to throw herself into Henry's arms. She gave him the deepest, longest, most passionate kiss she could manage, snuggling in his warm embrace. “I love you, Henry,” she declared. “I couldn't bring myself to tell you before, but it's true.”

“I know.” His kiss was slower and more urgent. “Remember that, 'cause I'll be back.”

“This is making me sick.” Fettson grabbed Henry's good arm, yanking him from Leia's grasp. “Quit stalling. Jenkins has waited long enough for this, and I want my money.” He looked up at Vader as two of his men shoved Henry out the door and down the stairs. “Don't forget the extra for finding that little birdie for you.”

“I won't.” Vader brusquely shoved Leia at his men. “Take her, the native, and the servant to my ship. I'll meet you there. I have someone I need to deal with first.”

“No!” Leia struggled, trying to get to Henry. Vader's strongest soldier finally responded by throwing her over his shoulder. Kicking him did no good; he just held her feet down. “Let me go, you jackals! I'll see to it that each and every one of you rot in hell when we get back to Naboo!”

Charles was about to rip Langdon's lungs out when he saw a flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye. A familiar head of yellow hair peeked out from behind a bush, followed by a shorter man in white and blue. “Lad!” He let out the loudest roar he could. “Get out of here!”

“Luke, no!” Leia twisted around on the man's shoulder, trying to see her friend. “Don't! Don't follow us! It's a trap!” 

“That's right!” Cedric's eyes were even wider than usual. “Rusty, you undersized fireplug, get out of here, and take Mr. Skywalker with you! This is no place for either of you!”

“Cedric!” Rusty pulled out his own gun. “I think we'd better split up, kid. You go find Henry. I'll get the rest of of them.”

“Right.” Luke headed for the gardens, where he'd parked the Rogue. He was glad he'd gotten the airship mode working. It got them there in half the time. As he made his way across the back lawn, he caught a glimpse of a fluttering black cape ducking into the gardens on the edge of the mountainside. 

“Vader,” he whispered. The youth ducked under a stone arch, following the black wisp into the greenery without hesitation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally figured out a posting schedule for this one. Look for new chapters on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday!


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke confronts Vader in the gardens of Langdon's mansion, and learns a lot more than he ever wanted to about his true heritage...

Langdon Croydon was taking his home back. This deal had been a bad idea from the start. He thought he was saving Belle Vista, While the Coruscant soldiers were dragging Leia and Charles to Vader's vehicle, he ordered his valet Laurence to bring the stable boys and chimney sweeps and tell them he had an extra job for them to do. 

They made it to the front parlor before Laurence and the boys surrounded them, all holding pistols or shotguns. “I'll take that.” He easily slid a pearl-handled revolver out of the head officer's shocked hand. “All of you, hands to your heads. You,” he waved the gun at the soldier holding Leia, “put that lady down. And no funny business.” The soldier did as he was told, too shocked to argue.

“What are you doing?” The beautiful woman in the red and white gown gave him the nastiest look she could muster, even as he tossed two rifles into her arms. “Are you trying to get us killed?”

“No.” Laurence handed his master the key to Charles' cuffs. “I'm getting us all out of here.”

Cedric was hobbling along behind Charles. “I knew it all along. It had to be a mistake. You're too refined of a man to take up with ruffians like Vader and his ilk.”

Leia disagreed. “You think that after you turned Henry in like that, we're just going to trust you?”

“You god-damn bastard!” The moment Charles' hands were free, they were around Langdon's neck. “I'm going to squeeze you until you pop for doin' this to us!”

Langdon dropped to his knees under the pressure of thick palms that were almost the same size of his head. “I...had...no...choice...”

“What are you doing?” Cedric tried to grab at Charles' arm. “Trust him! He's our only way out!”

Leia's dark brown eyes blazed. “Oh sure, let's trust him. He had no choice, right Charles?”

Langdon's face was starting to turn an unbecoming shade of purple. “There's still a chance to save He...he...Hen...”

“Charles, stop!” Cedric wailed. “It sounds like he's talking about Mr. Solo!”

“Fettson's carriage...in the stables...” The small man in the fine blue suit grabbed wildly at the angry manservant's hairy arms, trying to pull him away. 

“Charles, let him go!” Leia held the rifle at Langdon's back. “Is this true?”

“Yes...” Langdon was still gasping on his knees, even after Charles reluctantly pulled his hands away. “I know this house...like I know the rules for every card game...”

“Good.” She held the gun to his chest as Cedric helped him to his feet. “You and your servants are going to take us there.”

“I would...anyway.” He grabbed a side chair, still puffing. “This town...is getting too hot...for me. Was going to close the house...and head somewhere with fewer Imperials...”

“Let's go.” Leia and Charles were already following Laurence out the door, even as Langdon continued to regain his breath. 

Cedric leaned on him, helping him up despite his own sprained ankle. “I'm terribly sorry about all this, sir. After all, he's only a Wookie!”

They'd just made it out to the long row of stables on the eastern side of the house in time to see Fettman's armed ice wagon burst out of the gates. Everyone leaped out of the way, Leia just avoiding being trampled by the two red stallions pulling the wagons. The stallions burst through the curving entrance to Belle Vista, leaving dust in their wake as they galloped down the rocky road. She just caught a glimpse of Henry clutching the bars, his handsome face drooping in sorrow, his wrist still clapped in irons. She tried to run after the carriage, but the horses quickly outpaced her.

Cedric moaned as Charles helped him to his feet. “We're doomed! We'll never catch them now!”

“Yes, we can.” Leia swung over to Langdon, her rifle trained on him. “Ok, Mr. Croydon. Talk. Where is he taking Henry?”

Langdon gave the angry duchess a wan smile and slowly pushed the barrel of the gun away from his chest. “He's hauling him to Jenkins Huttman's shack in the Tatoonie Islands. Not the type of place a lady of quality like you should be hanging out at.”

“I don't care. I want Henry back. We need him.” She added softly, “I need him.”

Charles grabbed Langdon by his linen cape. “You're gonna take us there. You know where Huttman lives. You've gambled there before.”

“I'd be glad to.” The small mayor tugged at the cord holding his cape on. “If you'll just...” Charles dropped him, not lightly. He landed on the grass with a less-than-graceful “thud.”

“We'll take the Falcon.” Leia was already starting back towards the gardens. “Nothing else will get there fast enough.”

“I don't think that's a good idea.” Langdon had to hurry to catch up with her, despite her shorter legs. “My people aren't done with the engine yet. Henry made so many modifications...”

But Leia was already half-way down the path, past the hedge rows, and didn't hear a word Langdon said. All she cared about was finding the Crimson Hawk and the Golden Eagle, the only two men who cold help her save Naboo...and who had captured her heart.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Luke followed that fluttering black wisp through the misty stone paths lined with trees dripping with velvety moss and hedges clipped to resemble hearts or diamonds. The moisture hung of late lilies and jewel-toned rose bushes like diamond beads, sparkling wanly in the dim, watery light. 

He came to the edge of the mountain, a stunning terrace flanked by rows of scarlet, creamy yellow, and dark gold late-summer flowers. The craggy cliffs were laden with drooping greenery and bordered by stonework stairs carved into the side of the hills. An elegant fountain with gleaming gold trim bubbled in the center, bordered by magnificent, ivy-and-rose-covered arches leading back to Bella Vista. 

The hissing reached his ears before the deep rumble of a voice did. “Luke Skywalker.” His sizzling ruby red blade crackled in the dampness, the only sound other than an occasional bird. “You are not a Jedi yet.”

Luke pulled out his own sword as Vader leaped more nimbly down the hill than one might imagine, given his size and bulk. “Vader.” The young man stood his ground. “Where are they? Leia, Henry, Charles, and Cedric. My friends and my guardian. What have you done with them?”

Vader waved his sword at him. “I arrested Solo myself,” he hissed, “Golden Eagle. You're lucky I have plans for you, or you would be on your way to the Tatoonie Islands with him as we speak.”

“What about Leia?” Luke made his way cautiously up the stone staircase. “Where is she?”

“That's no longer your concern.” He lunged for the boy, who parried him with more ease than he would have believed possible. “Your destiny lies with me now, Golden Eagle. I know who you are...” He bowed before him. “Your highness, Prince Luke Quenton Amidala Skywalker of Naboo.”

“And you're nothing but a usurper and a traitor!” Luke pressed harder, lunging around the flowers. As he ducked through one of the beds, the vines wrapped around his feet, tripping him. He rolled just in time as Vader's red electrical saber came down where his head had been. 

“I'm no traitor!” Vader slashed at him harder, this time enough to knock him off the edge of the cliff. “All too easy.”

He hadn't bothered looking over the cliff. Luke had grabbed a vine before he landed on the waiting Death Star Airship. He let himself down on a ledge that gave him just enough room to leap back into the garden, right before Vader.

“Impressive.” He lunged for the boy again, only to see him jump and grab hold of a clinging vine over their heads. “Most impressive.” Luke grabbed a vine and swung again, just barely missing Vader throwing his saber at his head. “Your hate has made you powerful, Your Highness. Release your anger. Only your hatred can destroy me.”

Luke grinned down at him from a tree. “You'll have to catch me first!” He swung away before Vader could throw again.

Despite his current terror, Luke was having a lot of fun. He felt like a monkey, swinging from tree to tree. Was this what it would feel like to live in the jungle, among the apes and snakes and squawking parrots? He and Wedge would have to visit one someday. “If I ever see Wedge again,” he added mournfully. It broke his heart to know the man he loved was in Vader's clutches because of him. As soon as he got Henry out of jail, they'd have to rescue him. 

His mind was so focused on a plan to rescue Wedge and the others, he didn't see the heavy rock fly through the rapidly thinning fog. The missile hit him hard on the shoulder, enough to cause him to let go of the vine. He landed in a bed of soft moss with a hard thump!

At first, all he saw was a black rock on his chest. As his vision cleared, the black blur coalesced into a large booted foot. Vader stood over him, holding his electrical saber to his chest. “You are beaten, Your Highness. There is nowhere else for you to run.”

“Never!” Luke managed to concentrate long enough to make the fallen rock fly into his outstretched fingers. He slammed Vader's toes with it as hard as he could. It didn't really hurt him that much, but it distracted him long enough for Luke to scramble to his feet. 

The two men continued dueling across the gardens, leaping over flowers and hedges, neither one giving an inch. Vader was good. He was very good. He'd had the years of training and experience that Luke lacked...and it showed. Vader barely seemed to be slowing down, but Luke was battered and bloody and weary.

Vader drove him back to the edge of the cliffs, this time on the southern border of the property, near the fields. Luke got in two more blows before Vader slammed his red blade cleanly through his right wrist. He let out a scream of shock and pain as his detached limb soared over the edge and into the ravine below, taking his sword with it. 

“It's useless to resist, boy.” His archenemy's dark shadow loomed over him, menacing and terrible, turning the glowing red saber a deep purple. “Benjamin resisted, too. I offered him and your mother unlimited power, and they turned away from me. Turned on me. I thought they loved me, but they loved their country more.”

“What do you mean?” Luke clutched his hand, gritting his teeth against the searing pain. “My mother would never love a monster like you! She loved Father, and no one else! Ben told me so!”

“You're so much like her, Luke. So trusting.” He clenched his fist. “Luke, I am your father. Padme was my wife. Kenton lied. I never stole my titles. They've been mine since I earned them in the Alliance Wars.”

“No!” Luke shrieked at the top of his lungs. “NO! That's not true! That's impossible! Mother could never love someone like you!”

“Search your feelings, boy,” Vader hissed deeply. “You know them to be true.”

“No! Never!” Luke tried to pull back, but there was nowhere else go to...except... When he looked down, he noticed a bit of movement under him...a familiar patched balloon...

“Luke.” Vader held out his hand. “Come, my son. It's the only way.”

Luke drew himself up as regally as he could manage. “You're wrong, Father. There's always another way.”

He simply stepped off the cliff. Remembering the trick he pulled on the other side, he managed to grab a vine on the way down. He'd also had one more hand then. His remaining digits barely managed to hold on to the rough makeshift rope. 

“Leia,” he begged, “hear me, please. Leia. Help me!”

It wasn't Leia he saw on the deck as the Falcon drifted closer to his feet. He didn't recognize the dark-skinned man in the pale blue linen suit, though he did make a note to discuss his tailor when he made it on the ship. That was a very well-cut outfit. Leia, to his surprise, was behind the ship's wheel, maneuvering the Falcon over to the cliff with an intensity that was almost scary. Charles hung off the ropes, while Rusty and Cedric waved from the fore deck.

“Luke!” Leia called. “Drop down to the ship!”

The man in the fine suit waved. “I've got you, kid!”

“Him too?” Luke muttered as he let go. His last thought when he passed out after landing in the man's arms was “Must be a friend of Henry's.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Luke awoke in the smaller cabin in the Falcon, which he shared with Charles on long test flights. His arm throbbed...and when he tried to flex his fingers, he remembered why. Nothing moved. When his eyes focused, the blurs coalesced into the vision of Leia by his side, wrapping the stump that had been his right hand with bandages from the first-aid kit.

“What...where...” His eyes roamed, taking in the shots fired and the massive black airship coming up on their left. “What happened?”

“I don't know. I just...I heard you.” She'd traded her red gown for a red blouse, one of Henry's black vests, tight trousers, and her own button-up white and black boots. “In my head. It was like you were calling to me. I couldn't leave without you.”

Luke took her hand in his good one. “Leia...what happened to Henry? Someone hurt him really bad. I felt the burns, and I was nowhere near fire.”

Leia tried to look impassive, but she couldn't help the anger in her voice. “Vader found out he's The Crimson Hawk, probably from Bob Fettson. He burned his back and arm, then arrested him. Fettson's probably half-way to the Tatoonie Islands with him by now.”

They were both nearly knocked off the bed by cannon fire. “I'll be back.” She kissed him on the forehead and went up to the deck. Luke followed her, a dull ache in his chest.

The Death Star Airship, its silvery shark wings glinting sharply in the late-afternoon sun, was almost upon them. Luke ducked light fire that almost took off his head as he got on the deck. To his surprise, Leia was driving. Lando and Charles manned the cannons, trying to put dents in the Death Star's curving steel surface. 

“Vader,” Luke whispered, eyes focused on the black monolith of a man driving the ship himself in the steerage quarters. “Father. He's come for me.”

Rusty's rotund rear poked out of the clockwork gears in the engine between the decks. “You don't know how to fix our turbo engines!” Cedric wailed, waving the cane he'd borrowed from Henry's closet for emphasis. “Charles or Her Grace could do it! I'm barely walking on this ankle, and you're having delusions of grandeur down there!” 

“Aw, pipe down, you wind-up chatterbox.” Rusty poked his balding head out of the space, reaching for a greasy wrench. “I know what I'm doin'. I ain't gonna let Anakin get his hands on his kids just yet. He's got a lot to learn about bein' a decent father before he deserves them.”

“Anakin? The Baron? I thought he was dead!” Cedric groaned. “I knew you were insane!”

Rusty poked his head out of the deck. “Strap yourself down, Goldie, 'cause we're getting outta here.”

Even as he spoke those words, blue fire burst from the back of the Falcon! The ship suddenly streaked into the puffy white clouds, leaving nothing but sparkling dust in its wake. Luke and Langdon fell over – and into – each other. Leia had to hold onto the ship's wheel for dear life. Charles grabbed Cedric as Rusty fell backwards into the repair space.

“You did it!” Cedric managed to lean over and give Rusty the biggest hug his skinny arms could manage. “You're a hero!”

Rusty's pug face sported a dazed smirk. “I told you so, Goldie!”

“Well, where to now?” Langdon asked as he and Luke stumbled over to Leia at the wheel.

“Um, we're going to have to go back to the mansion first.” Luke's sweet face turned a bit red. “I left the Rogue parked in the garden near the front terrace.”

Leia nodded. “We could do that quickly. Hopefully, Vader's boys will be busy on the Death Star. Langdon, you go with him. Luke's in no condition to be flying anything.”

“What about after that?” Langdon waved a hand at Luke and the silver shark-like airship fading into the distant horizon. “Vader's still after us, and we need to do something about your friend's hand.”

“What's left of it.” The battered youth put out his remaining hand. “Luke Skywalker, Henry's ward. Wish we could have met under more pleasant circumstances.”

“Me too, kid.” The man in the linen suit had a solid, firm grip for such a slight fellow. “Langdon Croydon, mayor...well, I guess former mayor now...of Bespin.”

“All I want to do is go home, get a change of clothes, and rest this ankle, so I can return to performing my true occupation.” Cedric brushed off his tattered, yet immaculate pale gold suit. “I've told all of you time and time again that I'm not an adventurer or a storyteller. I'm a secretary. This gadding about in airships fighting off villains is not my line of work.”

Luke nodded at the others as Leia turned the Falcon towards Bella Vista. “Maybe we'd better split up here. For one thing, it'll make it harder for Vader to follow us. Langdon, you, Rusty, and I will stop in Lothal to get my hand looked at. They have a hospital, and we have...friends...there. Leia, you take Charles and Cedric to Chalindria Court to drop off Cedric and check in with your aunt and Mon Mothma.”

She nodded. “They may know people who could help us with Jenkins Huttman, or would be able to recommend people who can. From what Henry said, most of this Huttman's activities range from slightly criminal to blatantly illegal. Besides, my Aunt Breha must be worried sick about me by now.”

The Rogue was surrounded by at least ten Coruscant soldiers when they arrived. “You think we could take them on?” Luke asked. “I'm not exactly at my best right now.”

“Us well-dressed men?” Langdon pulled a gun out of a concealed pocket in his cape. “They won't know what hit them.”

“Good.” Leia dropped three ropes over the side as the soldiers realized there was a wide shadow overhead that was too big to have been created by a passing cloud. “You boys get down there!” She gave Luke a kiss on the cheek. “And may the Force be with all of you!”

Luke gave her a dazed grin. “You too.”

Langdon smirked as he grabbed one of the ropes, taking Luke with the other. “I think she likes you, kid.”

“Nahh, I already have someone.” He looked thoughtful as he dropped down next to Rusty. “Leia's more like a sister to me, ever since the day we met. It's strange. It's like I knew her before...a long time ago...”

“Kid, we'll talk about you n' the Duchess later.” Rusty whacked three men in the ankles with his greasy wrench, sending them screaming into the grass. “Right now, we have to get on that ship.”

“Right.” Luke leaped onto the upper deck of the Rogue as easily as he would leap onto the pommel horse at the gym in Corellia Manor. He took an idea from Rusty, whacking several men over the head with the flat side of hammer and tripping them over the side while they were still dazed. “All aboard for points south,” he called through his cupped hands, “including Lothal and the Tatoonie Islands!”

Rusty was still brandishing his wrench as he scrambled over the wooden gangplank Luke had just lowered. “Ok, kid. You go down in the main cabin and rest that arm. Croydon n' I will do the rest.”

Langdon grinned at Luke's face. “Don't worry about your baby. I've driven steam ships for years, and I have an airship of my own I, er, won off a friend in a Baccarat game, the Lady Luck. If we can, we might have to come back for her later. She's a lot bigger than this, but she's a good girl. Added a few more guns and amenities to her.”

Rusty pulled up the gangplank as bullets began flying. “You boys talk ships later. Right now, I think it would be a good time to get out of here, before we all end up in the hospital.”

The Death Star arrived just in time to see the Rogue take off into the sky, blasting half-way across the Bespin Mountains. Admiral Piett stood nervously in the main cockpit area as Vader watched the two ships separate, going in opposite directions.

“Which one should we follow?” Piett gulped. He could feel his boss' tension from half-way across the room. “Ground communications indicate that Mayor Croydon escaped in the smaller vessel with Luke Skywalker, aka the Golden Eagle, and a servant. Looks like Duchess Organa may be taking the other ship back to Naboo.”

Vader drummed his fingers on the motherboard. “Set a course for Nabarrie Palace. I need to contact General Hux and the Prime Minister. We have something...special...planned for The Golden Eagle and Her Grace. Remember too that they are without Solo and Kenton's protection, and Croydon no longer has the resources of Bespin at his disposal. They are vulnerable...which makes this the perfect time to strike.”

Piett couldn't help the relieved breath that escaped his lips. Vader had choked at least three of his predecessors after being displeased with their efforts. “I'll give the men the coordinates right away, Your Baronship.”

“Very well, Admiral.” Vader returned to gazing out the window as the Admiral scurried over to the pilots.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leia and Charles attempt to rescue Mon Mothma and Grand Duchess Breha from the clutches of General Hux, but someone already got there first. Meanwhile, Luke learns a bit more about his new, well-dressed friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! I just plain forgot. Look for the next part out by Friday!

“Charles,” Leia began as they neared Theed Town, “how am I going to explain an airship landing in Mon Mothma's backyard? This isn't something you see every day! She may not even have the room.”

“So we land at Corellia Manor.” Charles leaped down from his perch on the side of the balloons, where he was checking the rigging. “We actually have an airship dock near the gym building. Not a big one, mind you, but it should work.”

Cedric was gazing across the tops of trees and the dusty roads as they came closer into view. “Uh, pardon me, Your Grace, but it would appear Senator Mothma and the Grand Duchess have guests.” He winced as gunfire was heard below. “Rather uncouth and unwanted guests, from the sound of things.”

Charles was at the slender secretary's side in an instant with the brass binoculars Henry had built. “He's right, Your Grace. We have a major problem. The Coruscant military is down there. I see 'em at Corellia Manor, too. I'd know those big, bulky battle carriages anywhere.”

“Charles, we have to get down there!” Leia pulled a lever, calming the bubbling khyber liquid. “Mon Mothma and Aunt Breha could be in big trouble. I doubt the Coruscant military is there for an afternoon of tea, cakes, and gossip!”

Cedric's face fell. “Does this mean I won't be able to get my change of clothes and a bath?”

“No.” Leia pulled them closer. “It means The League of the Crimson Hawk is going to fly again.”

It wasn't easy to stealthily land an airship on the lawn of Corellia Manor, but they somehow managed to pull it off. Leia had traded her red gown for a white shirt and trousers that belonged to Luke and Han's black vest with the silver braiding and buttons, shoving her hair under a hood and goggles. Charles pulled on his valet's uniform and threw a dark cape over Cedric's narrow shoulders.

“This is most embarrassing.” He sniffed noisily at the cape, his nose wrinkling in distaste. “Couldn't you have washed this before you gave it to me? It smells like a sweating dog on a hot summer day.”

“We don't have time, mate.” Charles pulled the hood over his head. “Henry's clothing and mine are too broad in the shoulders for you, and Luke's is too short.”

Both mansions were crawling with soldiers. Leia had to duck around several corners, Cedric following nervously behind. Charles lead them through several holes in the hedges in the untidy gardens at Corellia Manor. “These have been here forever,” Charles explained, “at least since Quenton Jinn lived in this house. I think Luke and Wedge use 'em to send messages and get together without bein' seen nowadays.” The hedges were very dense and very low. Leia had to push hard in a few places to get Charles under them.

Cedric managed to engage the guards at the back door to the servant's entrance in a long, boring conversation long enough for Charles to grab them by the arms and whack their heads together. They slid to the ground, unconscious. Leia used a hair pin to jimmy the lock, getting them in.

“Would anyone mind terribly,” Cedric whispered as they tiptoed down the dark service hallway, “if I went upstairs to my room, changed, and took a bath? I've been wearing the same clothes for days, and Charles kept using up all the hot water on the Falcon. I never got a decent bath!”

“We can't stop and get anything, Cedric.” Leia waved to hush him as they came out into the kitchen. “There isn't time.”

“Besides mate,” Charles added, “Vader and his boys will recognize us from Bespin.”

“We're lucky the Cook must have gone into the pantry to get tonight's dinner.” Leia peered into the main downstairs hall. “All clear. Come on, boys.”

“Excuse me, Your Grace,” Cedric fretted as he followed Charles, “but where are we going?”

Leia popped her head around another corner. “We're going to rescue my aunt and Mon Mothma. I doubt they'll have hurt them. Mon Mothma is the senator for the Theed District. My aunt is Grand Duchess of Alderaan. It's more likely they'll hold them for ransom or try to get information from them.”

Charles smirked as Hux, resplendent in his dark gray Coruscant officer's uniform, made his way down the hall. The moment he came close to them, he grabbed Hux by the shoulders and dragged him into the corner.

“Vader was right.” Hux's sneer was a tight line on his pale, handsome face. “He said you would come back for your aunt. How sweet of you.”

The sneer faltered when a long nickel-plated rifle was shoved under his chin. Leia's brown eyes blazed. “Where are my aunt and Mon Mothma?”

Charles wrapped his arm around his thin neck. “Better talk, mate. Her Grace is not terribly pleasant to people who don't do what she says.”

Hux's sneer returned. “I don't know.”

“We don't have time for this.” Leia moved the barrel of the gun further down Hux's chest. “Charles, give this man one of your little squeezes. Our friend here loves to squeeze the life out of snotty little prigs like you.”

“Serious...seriously!” Hux gasped as Charles' arm pulled tightly around his throat. “I don't know...where...they...are! They...escaped!”

“Escaped?” Even Cedric looked incensed now. “You imprisoned two unarmed women?”

Hux gasped, his face turning a rich shade of deep purple. “Involved....with...rebels! Needed..information...never got...no time. Rebels...let them...out...”

“Where are they now?” Leia pushed the rifle harder. “Look, you stuck-up worm, I'm about two steps from shoving this up your skinny rear end. Tell me where they are now, and I might be kind and not let Mr. Bacca here tear your head off.”

A door screeched slightly behind her...but there was no door behind her, just wall. Leia swung her rifle around to see what made the noise and almost took Ahsoka's nose off. She gently pushed the barrel away, shaking her head. 

“Hello to you too, Leia.” The slim African woman pulled out her yellow electrical swords. “Sorry about the noise. I doubt anyone's oiled the hinges on the door to the secret passages in decades.”

Cedric was half-in the passage, his rear and long legs sticking out. “I've heard rumors that there were unknown tunnels in the walls of this dwelling, but I never truly believed them until now.”

Mon Mothma stepped out next. “We're fine, Leia. Ahsoka and her people got us into the tunnels before this little ass could do any damage.”

“Leia!” Aunt Breha almost leaped out of the tunnel. “You're alive!” She threw her arms around her niece, who embraced her as hard as she could. “Where have you been for the past two weeks? You scared me half to death, running off like that! You could have at least sent a telegram! And where's Henry? No one's seen him for the last two weeks, either.”

“I'll explain everything on the way to Lothal.” Leia finally pulled away from her aunt, taking in her slightly torn dark red suit with its gold lace collar and maroon tassels. “What happened? Did they hurt you?”

“I believe they were going to.” She nodded at Cassian and Jyn as they came out, covered in dust and sporting guns, but otherwise unharmed. “At least until these three burst in, claiming they wanted an interview and they wanted it now.”

Jyn had her camera under her arm. “You wouldn't believe how much arsenal a woman can hide in her photography bag.”

Charles had a hand over Hux's mouth. “What are we going to do about this red rodent?”

Leia smirked. “Mon, where's the nearest garbage dump?”

“There's a compost heap behind the house.” The copper-haired politician raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. “Why?”

Charles shared Leia's rather nasty grin. “I'll take him there right away, then meet you at the Falcon.”

“No!” Hux screamed as another patrol of Coruscant soldiers passed. “Over here, you ninnies! They're trying to take me away!”

Cassian grinned. “I believe we can take care of this, my Jyn. We will meet the rest of you outside.”

Jyn's smile was even wider. “Haven't had a good fight with the Coruscant Army in a long time.”

“We're at Corellia Manor.” Leia fired at two men, knocking them into the wall. “Our ship is in the backyard.”

“I'll cover for you.” Ahsoka tossed Hux's sleek pistol to Cedric. “Here, secretary. Make yourself useful for once.”

“I don't know the first thing about firing a gun!” A bullet whizzed over him, just parting his gold hair. “But there's no better time like the present to learn!” He closed his eyes tightly and shot the first things that sounded menacing. When he opened them, a pile of six men were smacked against the opposite wall.

“Oh dear.” Cedric gulped. “I hope I didn't hurt them too badly!” 

He went to dust the first man off, but Ahsoka grabbed his arm. “No time! We have to get out of here.” She raised an eyebrow as they fled down the hall. “I thought you said you couldn't shoot!”

“I can't!” Cedric shrugged. “Or I thought I couldn't. I guess I have more hidden talents than I previously surmised...ow!” He wasn't paying attention to where he was going and ran smack into an ornate wall. “Oh, my poor beautiful nose! Is it broken?”

Ahsoka sighed and shook her head. “No, it's fine. Might be a little bruised.” She stabbed two men who came after them and disarmed a third. “Let's go, before the others think the soldiers got us.”

Jyn and Cassian were the last ones under the hedge. “There's still more coming, senors.” The small Spanish reporter almost dove up the gangplank. Jyn followed more slowly, encumbered by her camera and bag. “We'll have to leave right away.”

Jyn stowed her camera in a trunk in the captain's cabin. “That's better.” She was brushing leaves off her lavender suit when she joined the others. “So, where's this tub off to, anyway?”

“Lothal.” Charles held Hux by his collar. “But first, we have to dump some heavy baggage.”

“Baggage?” Hux was twisting this way and that, loudly trying to escape the Wookie native's vise-like grip. “I'm one of the top generals in the Coruscant Navy, you over grown ape!”

“You're still not a nice man.” The towering native looked over the side. “Ok, Leia, you can stop here.”

“What do you...no!” Hux screamed like a small child as Charles held him over the edge. “Don't throw me down there! I'll break my neck...and worse, ruin my uniform!”

“Oh, hush. I'm doing this for your own good. Maybe next time, you'll learn to be a better house guest.” Charles tipped him off the side, tossing him into the heaping mountain of old vegetable tops, hard cheese rinds, and other stinky trash below them. Hux shook his lettuce-covered fist at the Falcon as it floated off into the distance.

Mon Mothma peered over the side with a small grin of her own. “I have to admit, he deserved it. He was a very poor guest.” 

Aunt Breha joined her niece at the ship's wheel. “When did you learn to drive this? Bail won't even let you drive those new steam cars yet at home.”

“Henry taught me.” Leia bit her lip. “We're going to Lothal to catch up with Luke and a friend of ours. Luke had some nasty injuries he had to get looked at. As soon as he's well enough, we're going after Henry. Vader arrested him and sent him to jail on the Tatoonie Islands.”

“I'd say I don't want you anywhere near those crime-infested ant hills.” Breha shook her head. “I also know that stubborn look. Your uncle gets that same look when he wants to do something and won't let me talk him out of it.” She gave her niece a fond kiss on the cheek. “Just be careful.”

Leia gave her aunt a one-handed hug. “I will. I promise.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Luke spent most of their ride to Lothal resting and really kind of bored. Rusty insisted on doing the navigating. “You just lay down there, kid.” He patted Luke's shoulder. “We have everything under control.”

He did appreciate the time getting to know Langdon and Rusty better. They played cards in the evening, with Langdon winning most of the time. “Well, I'm out.” Rusty tossed his hand aside a night almost a week after their daring escape from Bespin. 

“It's just you n' me, young one.” Langdon took two cards. “You know, you're not bad at this. Where did you learn poker, Henry?”

“Henry, Rusty, and Charles.” Luke took one card. “We played a lot when Henry was in the hospital. It took his mind off of...things.”

Rusty frowned as Luke's head lowered. “Stop blamin' yourself. Henry should have paid off that debt years ago. He knew what he was getting into.”

Luke tried to imitate Langdon's unreadable expression, but he couldn't help the tears in his eyes. “Vader was after me. He hurt three of my closest friends, because of ME. If I'd just stayed in Dagobah...”

“He still would have been after you.” Langdon put his cards down. “Kid, we all make mistakes. Henry should have been more careful about being followed. I shouldn't have let Vader play me for a fool.” He took another card. “The point is, kid, you can wallow in anger forever...or you can move on.” He spread out his cards. “And here's the winning hand. Four up, aces high.”

“Three pair.” Luke threw down his cards. “How do you do it?”

“Lots of experience. I've been gambling since I was old enough to know a diamond from a club.” He swept the cards into a small lacquered box as he looked out the window. “I think we're just about in Lothal. Any ideas on where to park this thing?”

Rusty was already pushing chairs back into place. “Not a clue. The hangar in the junk yard is probably swarming with Coruscant troops by now. We can't go back there.”

Luke swung his legs out of bed, glad Henry had installed carpet in his room. It felt so much better on his bare toes. “I know where we can go.” He pulled on a pair of too-big leather slippers that belonged to Henry. “There's a sheltered cove by the fisherman's marinas that should be big enough for the Rogue. I know a few friends who are docked there...”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Charles took over the Falcon's wheel so Leia could spend some time with her aunt before they arrived at the hospital. Leia explained everything that had happened since the Regatta, ending with their escape from Cloud City and the attempt to aid those held hostage at Chalindria Court.

“You really love him.” Breha took her hand. “You do know he's not a nobleman or any kind of royalty, and from what Mon Mothma says, he's not the most trustworthy person.”

“I don't care, Aunt Breha. I love him.” Her delicate face was grave. “I've never loved any man like this before.” A dreamy smile played on her lips. “You should see him, Auntie. He came up with the whole Crimson Hawk scheme, just to help a friend and the Wookie natives. He, Luke, Charles, Rusty, and Sir Kenton built this ship and all of the weapons and other equipment they use. He's so brilliant, and kind, and...”

She laughed. “Leia, if he's what you want, I approve. I don't think Bail will object too much, either. And if he does,” the older woman gave her a small grin, “I'll remind him how he started as a country lawyer with barely two cents to rub together before he married me!”

They landed at the coves by the fishermen's docks in Lothal, next to the Rogue, a few minutes later. Hera and Chopper were already there, tying the Rogue down to keep it from flying away in errant breezes. “Mon Mothma!” She hurried over as soon as she double-knotted the last cable. “I'm so glad you got away. We heard about the government takeover of Chalindria Court.” 

“Do not worry, Senora Sylendulla.” Cassian beamed, taking Jyn's hand. “We are all heroes here. We save Grand Duchess and Senator, and they save us!”

Chopper, the little man with the orange-y skin, snorted. “That's nice to know.” He looked up from his knot. “Rusty and the Negro in the expensive suit took Luke to the hospital. They're getting him looked at now. Told Rusty he should have watched over his employers better.”

“Chopper, lay off.” Hera dusted her hands off on her simple blue skirt. “It wasn't his fault.” The tall captain made her way to the docks. “Our carriages are just off the marina. Chopper borrowed a second one from a friend. There's too many of you to fit in our rig.”

Jyn grinned at Cassian. “I call the window seat!”

“No, you do not!” He grabbed her collar. “You get it last time!”

“Hey! Not fair!” Jyn wiggled out of his grasp. “Race you to the rigs!” 

Ahsoka sighed. “I thought I hired adults, not children.” She looked over her shoulder at dark clouds overhead. “Oh Skyguy. I wish you could see them all. I wish things hadn't turned out...like they did. Just listen to your children. They can help you, if you let them.”

A cool breeze from the river drifted over her face. For a moment, she almost thought she heard her former master's voice, over the explosions from the cannons, telling her that everything was going to be ok, that they would kill those guys this time.

She barely noticed a slim hand shake her shoulder. “Hey Ahsoka.” Leia gave her a gentle smile. “Are you all right?”

“I'm fine.” The reporter put her arm around the younger woman. “Let's go, before all the good seats in those rigs are taken and we end up on your Wookie friend's lap.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Leia was grateful that Dr. Kalonia was a friend of Mon Mothma's and had managed to sneak them all in. Langdon and Rusty were already in the waiting room when they arrived. The moment they said Luke was up to accepting visitors, they all charged in.

“You poor boy!” Aunt Breha went to his bed first. “Leia told me about your hand. I feel dreadful for you. If there's anything Bail and I can do...”

“It's not so bad. See?” Luke held up his new hand, made of warm, coppery metal. “There's so much I can do with it! Maybe I could build a light gun into this thing or something...”

Rusty beamed. “That's m'boy. Robot Man gives him a lickin', an' he's talkin' about puttin' light blades into his fingers. I'm proud of you, kid.”

“Hola, Senor Skywalker.” Cassian waved from the back as Jyn set up her camera to take a few shots. “We are glad you are doing well. It is not good, what Vader do to you. I wish there was way we could help.”

“There is.” Luke held up his hand and the others gathered in as Jyn snapped the photo. “We're going to need as many people as we can to rescue Henry.” He coughed a bit as the British girl cursed and opened a window to let the smoke from her camera out. 

“I've been to the Tatoonie Islands. The Jedi actually helped Jenkins out once. We rescued his little son Rowan from a rival crime clan.” Ahsoka held her nose. “Boy, was that little guy stinky! I spent half the time my master and I were on the run changing his nappy.” She chuckled. “Point is, I know Jenkins...well enough to know how to get us in.”

“I've played cards in his casino a couple of times.” Langdon sat on the other side of the bed. “I can't go there like this. I'm too well-known there. But if I were to join the casino security force...”

“We could do the same.” Rusty threw his arm around Cedric. “Hire ourselves out to Fatkins as a waiter and translator. He doesn't know us.”

“I already have a perfectly good job!” Cedric pushed him away. “Besides, I've had nightmares about what Mr. Huttman does to his captives when I'm not in his employ, working right alongside him!”

“It would only be temporary, Cedric.” Mon Mothma interjected. “Breha and I will remain in the channels near with the Ghost crew as back-up.”

Breha fluttered her slightly tattered fan. “We'll see if we can recruit other Rebel Society members to help. Admiral Ackbar is probably on the Calamari River with his men right now, but he always did like a good tactical battle.”

Leia leaned into Luke with a smile. “So, Golden Eagle, what's the plan?”

Aunt Breha nudged her when Luke's tanned cheeks turned a pretty shade of pink. “Well,” he began, “here's what we're going to do...”


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Vader and Hux get their next assignments from Palpatine, the rest of the cast heads to the tropical Tatoonie Islands, home of Jenkins' Casino, where we meet the slimy gangster himself and find out what fate has befallen the captured Henry Solo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long! I have a lot of things going on right now - I'm working on this even as men redo my roof (in mid-90's degree heat). I'm going to try to be better about posting these from now on.

Vader was never so grateful he could no longer smell. Hux arrived at the Prime Minister's office in Nabarrie Palace dripping with potato peelings, carrot tops, squashed raspberries, and the blackened remains of a burned pork dinner. “General,” he hissed, “when you are in the Prime Minister's presence, you should at least wash your face and be wearing a clean and pressed uniform.”

“There wasn't time!” Hux's face was almost as red as his hair. “That blasted Rebel Society managed to break out Senator Mothma and Grand Duchess Organa! I tried to stop them, but all twenty of them ganged up on me. I was lucky that big lug of a native didn't flatten my head.”

There was a smirk in Vader's raspy voice. “I would have.” 

“Enough, gentlemen.” Palpatine arrived, flanked by two of his red-clad personal guards, who stood attention outside. “General, I heard what happened at Theed Town. Those rebels made complete fools of you.” He wrinkled his aristocratic nose. “They also made a compost heap of you.”

“Sir, I had no choice!” Hux was turning redder by the minute. “I was attacked by fifty of them!”

Vader's rasp was now amused. “I thought you said twenty.” He lifted his hand. The General grabbed at his throat, his face rapidly switching from red to purple. “Which was it?”

“Vader, enough. Release him.” The slender military man caught his breath as his boss leaned back in his chair. “I'm going to give both of you one more chance. The Diamond Jubilee Gala Ball and coronation are in two weeks. This will also be the official launching of the Second Death Star Airship. Vader, you will be in charge of the security that night. The coronation will begin traditionally at the Palace and end on the Death Star, as a way to show our court what it's truly capable of.”

“What...about...me?” Hux gasped, clutching the desk as he caught his breath. 

“You will go to the Endor Woods, on the borders of Bespin and Naboo, and oversee the Khyber Crystal mines.” The silver-haired ruler steepled his thin fingers. “I've heard rumors of a possible uprising there.”

“Endor?” Hux managed to grind out. “But you know what the natives are like! They're savages, even more than the Wookies!”

“They're also some of the smallest people in the Alliance,” his boss reminded him, “the only ones small enough to crawl through the narrower mines. However, I don't want them getting ideas about fighting back. I want you to make sure this doesn't happen.”

Hux's face tightened, but he still turned to his ruler and saluted him. “Very well, Prime Minister, sir. I'll leave in the morning.”

Palpatine shook his head. “You'll leave as soon as you've changed and taken a bath.” He waved his hand. “You are dismissed, General. Don't fail me again, or your punishment will be far more severe than anything Baron Vader is able to imagine.”

Vader moved his green monocle eye to his master as Hux stormed out. “I don't trust that man. I suspect he may be plotting our demise.”

“I also suspect him. He's ambitious, that boy, and clever. Pity he didn't pick up some common sense in the Arkansis Military Academy to go with those brains.” He nodded at the sprawling map of Naboo and the Alliance countries that took up almost the entire wall behind him. “That's why I sent him to Endor. I am concerned about an uprising there, but I'm even more worried about what that foul little mind of his is concocting.” He gave Vader a thin smile. “I think your son would be a more than adequate replacement. He's intelligent, strong-willed, and very much like his father.”

“If I can find him.” Vader's hiss lowered. “I felt him in Lothal earlier, but he's not there now. My men are scouring every hospital from here to Yavin that offers limb replacement.”

“What about the Tatoonie Islands?” Palpatine pointed at a series of dots to the right side of the map. “It's infested with criminals, murderers, gangsters, and down-on-their-luck farmers and thieves. It would be a perfect place for your son to hide.”

Vader stiffened noticeably. “I am not going to Tatoonie. I...dislike sand. It gets into my gears and clogs my breathing apparatus.” 

“You always were a damn child about it.” His chair swirled back around, revealing a more serious expression. “Very well. In that case, perhaps he will come to you.”

“He will come to me, Master?”

“I can feel his doubt, same as you can. He wants to reconcile with you. He will come.” Palpatine's grin was wide and white, more like a shark's. “And when we get him, that will be the end of the so-called League of the Crimson Hawk and its insignificant rebellion.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Jenkins' Casino was an extravagant hodge-podge jutting almost obnoxiously on the edge of the warm golden Tatoonie sands like it owned them. Every room was positioned to to take advantage of the stunning view and hot Mediterranean sun. The casino was a mass of Baroque curls, Gothic cathedrals, Victorian frills and curves, and neo-classical columns and perfect lines. It had been built more than a hundred years before, and every owner had added a new wing in a different style since.

The newest, most indulgent, and most popular wing was Jenkins' addition. The casino floors, with their glittering, golden mirrors, thick deep red carpets, and rainbow-colored murals depicting the Huttman family through the years (in the most flattering terms, of course) was a sea of people enjoying every ill-gotten pleasure there was to be found. Fortunes were won and lost at the gambling tables, while nightclub dancers in scanty costumes danced the scandalous can-can and hoochy-coochie. More often than not, they'd take a few men – and women – upstairs afterwards to attend to their every need. 

But the most outrageous – and secret – of all the additions at Jenkins' was his private domain on the top floor. Here, Jenkins himself held court while friends, family, couriers, hangers-on, bounty hunters, and other sordid underworld criminals. He was a grossly obese man, so massive he couldn't stand without considerable aid. His glistening bald head and rolls of fat and wrinkles made him more closely resemble a slug than a human. He reclined on a throne made from solid gold upholstered in fine red velvet, stolen from a pirating raid off the coast of Spain. Wheels had been added to the bottom to allow him to move around.

Cedric had never been so nervous. “How did we get into this mess, Rusty?” He groaned, even as his friend stood on his tip-toes to straighten his cravat. “We seem to be made to suffer. It's our lot in life. Why did I ever agree to this? I should be helping Senator Mothma write important documents, not playing spy.”

“Oh, shut up. You're a bigger baby n' Jenkins.” Rusty stood back. “You look...like you blend into the walls. Couldn't you have picked a different color than yellow?”

“I look good in yellow.” Cedric sniffed. “You're just jealous. You're stuck in a uniform. You can't even dress up nicely.”

“This is nicer n' the overalls I usually wear.” Rusty did the last button on his stiff white coat and adjusted the cloth on his arm. “I don't need to look like one of the patrons, anyway. I'm supposed to look like a waiter.” 

One of the dancers popped her head in the servants' lounge. “Are you two coming, or what? Charles told me Henry was in the holding cells in the basement, but they've moved him since then. No one knows where. It's heavily guarded.”

Cedric's wide gold eyes nearly popped out of his head. “Your Grace!” He gasped as Leia stepped in. “What would your aunt say if she saw you in such a revealing frock?”

“What she doesn't know won't hurt her.” Leia's brick red and gold gown was much shorter than her day dresses, falling in a poof of ruffles to just below her knees. The fluffy sleeves were edged with thick gold trim and sparkling red crystals. Black tights and red pumps with gold bows on the toes accentuated her shapely legs. A velvet bonnet tied around her head with a chocolate brown satin bow dripped with brown, brick, and gold feathers. A flurry of red and gold petticoats swirled around her as she moved.

Rusty whistled. “That's some get-up they've got ya in, Your Grace. You look damn good.”

“Thanks. If you think this is short, you should see the beaded dresses we're wearing for the hoochy-coochie.” Leia pulled up her bosom, trying to get it to sit right. “Let's go. The next floor show will be starting in two minutes.”

Leia hurried out with her fellow can-can dancers just in time for the number to start. She both admired and pitied these women. While a few of them were genuinely hoping this job would be the stepping stone to a dance troupe or at least a better company, most were uneducated women who were simply trying to get by the best way they could. She couldn't help noticing as they kicked and cartwheeled around the floor that Jenkins' eyes never left her.

“I think he likes you,” whispered one especially tall, slender woman with flaming red hair. “Jenkins is looking for a mistress. Oola Twylar was his last one, but she got into a big argument with him, and he sent her to the water chambers to be...eliminated.”

Leia tried not to wince as she did her high kicks. “Water chamber?”

The red-head nodded. “I heard Jenkins keeps some kind of sea monster down there, and it feeds on those who displease him. Probably not. Might just be a really angry octopus.”

“But they don't...” Another girl shushed Leia, who returned to trying to concentrate on the routine. As they came to their big finale, all legs and skirts in the air, she noticed three familiar figures winding their way through the crowds. Ahsoka and Jyn wore elaborate gowns trimmed with lace and tulle, Jyn in beige, Ahsoka in blue. Cassian went for a simple navy tuxedo and silk cravat. He and Ahsoka interviewed patrons, while Jyn shoved past patrons, jabbing them with an elbow or her frill-laden parasol. 

As Leia started to push through the crowd, shoving people aside with her own parasol, a greasy hand yanked her over to the golden throne. “Hello, my pretty pet,” Jenkins purred. “What a dainty morsel you are. I think I'd just love to eat you all up. You're so succulent...so tender...”

She managed to throw his arm off. “Are you talking about me, or your next meal?”

“Charming, too.” His juicy lips slobbered over her knuckles. Leia was very glad she wore gloves. “You'll be eating dinner with me tonight, pretty pet. We'll start with a roast foie de gras, and then...”

“I'm sorry,” Leia began, “but I have a previous engagement.”

“Break it.” Two of his men shoved her into his lap. “I like pretty things. I like to keep them and play with them in my bedroom. I like to eat with them.” His sausage fingers wound through her long braid. “Pretty things do not say no to Jenkins. You dance so well. I could get you a spot at the Follies Bergiere, if you play your cards right.”

Jenkins' attempt at a kiss was drowned out by his howl. Leia jumped up from his lap as fast as her legs could allow her. “Try anything like that again, fat man, and you'll find out where you can take your Follies Bergiere!”

The obese criminal slammed his fist on the arm of his chair. “Enough of all these games! Where's Solo? Have the sculptures finished with him yet, Fettson?” 

“Ten minutes ago.” The tall bounty hunter in the green suit perched behind the throne like a menacing green and red bird of prey. “He should be ready to be presented now.”

“Then bring him up here! I need to hurt somebody!” The sausage fingers around around Leia's arm. “Stick around, pretty pet. You'll see what happens to people who defy Jenkins Huttman. It's not nearly as sweet as you are.”

The crowds moved aside for Huttman's private guard, dressed in the same khaki, tan, and olive uniforms of the Tatoonie Islands army. The one in the custom-made pith helmet with the expensive ribbon trim got as close to Leia as he dared. He gently took her arm and pulled her from Jenkins before he could try to get more intimate with her. The other guards all moved to a segment of the back wall, which was blocked by a gold velvet rope.

Jenkins' right-hand man, Bibbi Fortuna, stood on the dais next to his boss' throne. The moment he waved his hands, the orchestra quieted. “Ladies and gentlemen,” he smirked, “well, some of you, of Tatoonie. I give you tonight's entertainment. You've just seen the most beautiful dancers in the Five Islands. Now, witness the creation of the island's finest living statue!”

As the wall behind them slowly turned, Leia let out a shocked gasp. Henry stood on a marble pedestal, limbs arranged in an artful pose, long legs clad in loose trousers that revealed his splendid physique. Rock crystal fetters and a jeweled collar anchored him to the base. His entire body was coated with a glistening layer of sparkling translucent crystal that made him resemble a perfectly carved ice sculpture, save for three holes around his mouth and nose that allowed him to breathe. 

“Behold, my latest acquisition.” Fortuna wheeled his boss over to the crystal statue as Cedric translated to the crowd. “I call it 'Bastard Under Crystal.' He's a better-looking decoration than he was a pirate.” His flunky helped him stand, so he could laugh up at Henry's face. “You thought you were so clever, Solo, running away. You're not as clever as my boys. I'm glad Vader gave me this melted Khyber crystal. It suits you.” He jabbed a cigar at Henry's foot, hard enough for him to feel the burn even under the crystal. “This decoration,” Jenkins sneered to the crowd, “is meant as a lesson. No one should ever made a late payment to Jenkins Huttman. It...displeases him.”

“No!” Leia rushed over when Jenkins rolled behind the fountain pressed the cigar harder into his back. “Don't hurt him!” Henry's glazed eyes manged to roll downwards. He knew those angry brown eyes, that voice...

“I'll let him alone, pretty pet,” the gangster smirked, “if you'll have dinner with me tonight.”

Leia's mouth felt dry. “I'll do it. I'll eat with you.” Henry's lips turned down, his clouded eyes despondent.

“Of course you will.” Jenkins pressed his cigar against his thigh so hard, it left a small hairline crack in the crystal. “We'll meet in my room in a half-hour. You'll wear...something I can take off easily.” He finally kissed her hand again before letting Bibbi wheel him over to a group of men in olive green and tan security uniforms.

“Your Grace, I simply won't allow this!” Cedric pulled her aside as she wiped her hand on the side of her dress. “The things I've heard Huttman does with his lady friends would shock even the most depraved criminal.”

“Don't worry, Cedric. I have a plan.” She pushed him towards Rusty, who was serving drinks to two members of Huttman's entourage. “Go tell Rusty I'm going to need him and Charles to set up dinner...with two special drinks from an own Aldra recipe.” Her grin was so nasty, Cedric began to wonder if he should worry for Mr. Huttman's well-being. “One will have an....added ingredient.”


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leia attends dinner with Jenkins Huttman, but she has an ulterior motive for wanting to eat with the obnoxious gangster.

Huttman's private dining room was set on a second-floor porch, screened in to keep the local noxious pests away. (Leia wished it had worked with Huttman and some of his guards.) The room was done in white, green, and gold, the better to match the towering potted palms and rubber plants towering in corners. The furnishings were all white wrought-iron, as delicate as filigree, with soft, comfortable green and gold flowered cushions and a golden brocade tablecloth.

Boba Fettman pulled out Leia's seat for her. “Welcome to my humble abode, my pet,” Huttman purred as Cedric “oh dear”ed in the background. “You look cute tonight, but why didn't you wear somethin' easier to take off, like I said?”

“I'm not a woman of means, Mr. Huttman. I borrowed this from a friend.” Leia's modest white gown, with its ruffled sleeves, high lace collar, and soft tulle skirt, had been a discovery in the shops in Anchorhead two days before. She'd planned on wearing it to the casino floor on her night off. She wanted to give Jenkins enough to chew over without letting him have a full-course meal. 

“I could change that.” Huttman rolled himself closer to her chair as Cedric jumped aside. “He wants you to be his mistress and his newest playmate.”

“Mr. Huttman, aren't you married?” Leia reached for a soft yellow roll. It was sweet and tasted faintly of pineapple. 

“Apparently, his wife is off the island. Anyway, they have an agreement.” Cedric wrinkled his nose. “He pays for her home and clothes and lavish lifestyle, and she doesn't get in the way of him doing what he wants.”

Leia swallowed, trying to look flirtatious when she really felt like jamming all the rolls down his fat throat. “Would that include me, Mr. Huttman?”

Hutman reached over to grope her breasts. She managed to dodge him just in time. Cedric gasped as Huttman's eyes roamed over her decolletage. “Sir, she's at least thirty years younger than you! That's indecent!”

“I don't need translator now.” Huttman gave Cedric a shove. “You're dismissed. Go bother Fortuna, or the kitchen maids. I'm busy.”

“Yes, sir!” Cedric made such a hasty exit, he tripped over two chairs and a side table before finally rushing out the door. 

“Now, my pet,” Huttman boomed, “let's talk about us.”

“Actually,” Leia began, trying to scoot away from him without looking like she was, “I want to talk to you about what you did to Henry Solo. How did you pull it off? It was quite ingenious, how you managed to cover him in crystal.”

“The crystal and the chains and cuffs were provided by Baron Vader.” His fat hand slid under the layers of lace on her knees. “I took his crystal, and he got new, better weapons and steam barges for his men. Don't let it be said that Jenkins Huttman, he doesn't work with the government.” He pulled her close enough to smell his overpowering, musky perfumes and the sweat it was covering.

“Where do you keep the keys to his cuffs, anyway?” Leia felt like an idiot, but she batted her eyelashes. “They must be somewhere very close-by.”

“You ask questions, pet. I don't like questions. Pets should be seen, not heard.” He stroked her breast, his sausage fingers clutching at her bosom. “And you are a pet. You're my pet. I'll keep you here, in my private quarters, dress you in the finest gowns, jewels, anything your pretty little head wants.”

He was about to tear the buttons off her dress when Charles arrived with Rusty and three other waiters, pushing a tray filled with food. Rusty and three boys brought a roast pig, mountains of vegetables, exotic mangoes and papaya with sprinklings of coconut, rice smothered in cream and mushrooms, and a towering coconut-covered cake for dessert. 

As hungry as Leia was, she had to concentrate on the mission at hand. She nodded at Charles, who poured the blue glass wine bottle with the gold rim. “I have never seen this before.” Jenkins sniffed at it. “What it is?”

“It's a special gift.” Leia gave him her most coquettish smile. “Just for tonight. I have...connections.” She turned to the window as Rusty opened the curtains, giving them an incredible view of the beach front. “Oh, isn't that beautiful? Look at the lights. They're like a thousand jewels sewn into the tapestry of the island.”

“And I control every last one of them.” Jenkins turned to admire the indigo night...just as Charles dropped a tiny bit of powder into his drink. “If you become mine, pet, you'll be able to enjoy all the fabulous things my empire offers, too.”

“Maybe I will.” Leia gave him her most teasing smile as she lifted her glass. “Here's to us, Jenkins.”

“Here's to us, pet.” Her eyes focused on Jenkins as he knocked back the entire glass of wine in one gulp. “Ahh. Excellent vintage. My compliments to your buddy.” Within moments, his yellow-gold eyes began to contract, his eyelids fluttering. “Oh...holy shit. What a kick that stuff has! I feel...I feel really good.”

His swimming eyes tried to focus on the goddess before him. “Good enough to tell me where the keys to Henry Solo's cuffs are?” the goddess asked. 

“Oh, him. He's just some stooge of mine. Thinks he's so great, just 'cause he got some prince or somethin' as his sponsor. He ain't so great, pet.” Jenkins' eyes glazed over. A tiny bit of drool slid out of his mouth. “He'll never run off on me again. No one will. Not as long as I have the keys in my pocket.” He clutched at her. “He can't get away. No one will. No one will ever leave Jenkins again! No one...never...” The grotesque gangster finally dropped into her lap, snoring heavily.

“Thank god.” Leia pushed him off. “I never thought he'd quiet down.”

Charles and Rusty were already searching his person. “Here they are!” Charles handed her the keys. “Now, let's you n' me get Henry out of here, before the kid arrives to lay waste to this residence of sin.”

“I won't argue that.” Leia tucked the keys in her white beaded purse. “Rusty, go find Cedric and tell Luke we have Henry.”

Rusty saluted her. “Will do, Your Grace.”

As the trio split in two different directions, Jenkins opened one eye...and his fat lips formed an evil grin.

~*~*~*~*~*~

The main casino floor was dark. Only a single moon beam showed down from one of the cathedral windows, showing an empty beachfront with glowing white sand and palm trees that were little more than black strokes in the darkness. Leia made her way down the hall, carrying her white silk pumps to avoid her heels clicking on the wooden floor. 

Henry was still guarded, even at night. The guards didn't even have time to protest before two hairy fists smashed into their faces. Charles, who walked behind her, easily took care of the two men, knocking them over the head and shoving them against the wall as quietly as he could. 

Leia managed to climb up onto the pedestal. “Oh Henry,” she whispered. “How could they have done this to you?” His eyes were closed; his even breathing indicating that he was probably sleeping, or attempting to. She ran her gloved hand over his smooth translucent cheek. “I wish I knew how to get this off...”

“I think I do.” Charles pushed his finger into one of the places Jenkins had prodded with his cigar earlier. “He's melting. Jenkins melted the crystal earlier.” He pulled out a bunch of cigars. “Good thing Rusty n' I snared a few of these from Jenkins earlier. Didn't think he needed all the good stuff.”

“Good work!” Leia heated the first one on one of the few oil lamps still lit, then handed it to Charles. “You do the bottom. I'll work on the top.”

“But how...” Charles' bushy face broke into a wide grin as Leia stood on her tip-toes to kiss Henry's crystal-coated lips. A soft blue light filtered over them as the glowing liquid melted away. His hands dropped to his sides, then pulled Leia into his arms.

“Who....who are you?” Henry touched her smooth, lovely face. 

She snuggled into his slightly wet and sticky chest. “Someone who loves you.” 

“Leia!” the industrialist gasped. “Is that you? Charles? I can't...I can't see, sweetheart. Everything's a blur. I can't see you.”

Charles growled softly. “Probably all those drugs Jenkins jammed into you effected your eyesight. I'm guessin' it'll return once they wear off.”

Leia undid the collar and cuffs as quickly as she could. “We've got to get you out of here.” Charles took his other side. “The others are waiting on the Falcon and at Benjamin Kenton's home.”

They didn't get two steps from the pedestal before a booming guffaw filled the room. Henry stopped, groaning. “I know that laugh. Should have figured he'd know. He always knows.”

Not only Jenkins Huttman, but his entire entourage was behind him, some in night clothes. All hooted with the same derisive laughter as their employer. “Look, Jenkins,” Henry began, “I was going to pay you back. Honest. I just got a little sidetracked. It's not my fault.”

“Not your fault?” Jenkins snorted. “I've heard that from you a thousand times. You may have been the best pirate in Europe ten years ago, but you went soft. I have no use for soft pirates who can't deliver their shipments on time. Take him and his hairy ape away.” 

Leia tried to cling to Han, but Fettson and two of his men finally dragged him away. It took six to shove Charles after him. She wanted to follow them, but three of his men grabbed her arm. “Bring the girl to me.”

“I told you, Jenkins, we have powerful contacts.” She gave him her angriest glare. “You're going to regret this.”

“I'm sure I am, Your Grace.” A familiar dark face shoved her onto Jenkins' lap. “You think I didn't know who you were? I've never kept a duchess as a pet before. This will be a new experience.” He grabbed her hair, pulling her into his face. “You're my special pet now, Duchess Organa. You're mine.”

Cedric gasped as he gave her a sloppy, wet kiss across her porcelain face. “I can't bear to watch!”

“That's it.” Rusty tugged on Cedric's arm. “We gotta go get the kid. No one will notice if a waiter and a translator comes and goes.”

“Maybe not a waiter, but I have a job to do.” Cedric sniffed. “Mr. Huttman has a very important group coming in from Sullustia, and I simply must be there to translate. Mr. Huttman may be vuglar and large enough to pass for his own country, but he doesn't tolerate lateness.”

“We'll be back before that.” Rusty grabbed Cedric and directed him out before anyone could notice them.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A changed Luke comes on the scene in an attempt to rescue his guardian and friends, but Huttman's "pet" may be more than he can handle.

Rusty found Luke bent over metal parts and khyber crystal liquid in the same place he'd been for the last four days. Benjamin Kenton had maintained a small cottage and workshop on the largest Tatoonie Island. He still went there occasionally when he needed to get away. 

The short handyman could understand Kenton's sentiments. He had a very nice little place, a whitewashed, four-room shack just off the beach on the other side of Mos Eisley from Jenkins' Casino. He wouldn't mind retiring to a place like this himself someday. 

“Luke? Hey, kid.” Luke was in Ben's workshop in the shed in the back of the small but flourishing garden. “How's the new sword comin'?”

Cedric watched as Luke, most of his body covered by a metal worker's helmet and protective gear, soldiered the green khyber crystal into place in the box in the back. The moment it was attached to the wires, the sword part began glowing. “Stand back, you two.” Luke sliced through two thick metal slabs and an old metal dummy Ben kept in the workshop for practice purposes.

“Splendid, Master Luke!” Cedric clapped. “Bravo! You always were brilliant with machines.”

“Glad you have that thing done, kid.” Rusty's face looked more grave. “Luke, the others are in trouble. Leia got Henry off that pedestal, but Jenkins caught wise and grabbed all of them. Charlie and Henry are probably in the holding pen by now. Don't know what happened to the others. Hopefully, Snips got Jyn and Cass out before Jenkins figured out why they were there.”

Luke sheaved his new weapon. “Then it's my turn. I'm going in. Cedric, please announce me as 'Sir Luke Skywalker, formerly of Anchorhead, now of Naboo.'” 

“Are you sure this is a good idea, Master Luke? You are still recovering from your injuries.” Cedric gulped. “Jenkins Huttman is more of a monster than almost anyone we've dealt with before, including Baron Vader. At least Vader makes some attempts at being a gentleman. Mr. Huttman spits on the very idea.”

“Cedric, I grew up here. My aunt and uncle's farm was less than ten miles inland. If anyone knows how to deal with the Huttman family, it's me.” He gave him a familiar lopsided smile. “Trust me. I know what I'm doing.” 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Jenkins and his entourage were reclining on the dining patio where he'd had dinner with Leia the night before when that fussy translator announced he had a visitor. The young man strode in, easily pushing aside his guards without even touching them. He was a rather good-looking lad, with his sapphire blue eyes and slicked-back golden tresses. Surprising for Tatoonie's hot weather, his elegantly cut suit and hat were all black, except for the perfectly tied white silk cravat as his throat. 

“Greetings, Prime Minister Huttman. Allow me to introduce myself.” The youth bowed deeply before him. “I'm Sir Luke Skywalker, member of the Jedi Guards, and the ward of Captain Henry Solo. I've come to bargain for the life of my guardian, his servants, and Duchess Organa.”

Luke's eyes slid to Leia in the corner. Her pale face was coated in so much rouge, powder, and eye shadow, she more closely resembled a porcelain doll than a human woman. Her scarlet and and yellow-striped gown was so tight in the chest, he was surprised she could breathe. A long chain fell from a gold collar trimmed with rubies and diamonds. Jenkins played with the chain, sometimes tugging Leia closer to him so he could fondle her breasts in the low neckline or stroke her velvety brown braid. Luke was surprised Leia didn't try to wallop him with her matching striped parasol. It took all his resolve to not knock Huttman into Shaw Bay.

“So you're the little farmer Solo dug up.” Jenkins' booming laughter echoed across the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean. “Boy, I was killing Jedi Guards when being royalty meant something. Your guardian was late on his payments. He knew what would happen when he signed the contract.” Jenkins was stuffing dates and roast chicken into his mouth, though most of it ended up on the table or the floor. “Why don't you be a good little ward and run along, before you annoy me? I don't like people who annoy me.”

Luke spread guava jam on a pineapple roll. He ate delicately and chewed slowly. “I'm giving you one last chance, Prime Minister. It's your choice, but I warn you not to underestimate my powers.”

Bibbi leaned over Jenkins as he stuffed four slices of coconut-lime tart in his mouth at once. “He'd rather make a bargain than fight?” the tall, bald man in the linen robe whispered. “He's no Jedi. I knew their kind in the Alliance Wars when they helped liberate my home country Ryloth. They were warriors, great warriors, and they never hesitate to show off their skills with a saber. This boy doesn't even have a saber.”

Jenkins smirked at him, then nodded to Boba and his scaly friend in the orange tunic Bossk. “Show the, ahem, 'Jedi' to the water chambers, where he'll see what I think of his negotiations.”

Luke had the bad feeling that they weren't taking him to a room to share tea and mango biscuits. Indeed, as he made his way across the casino showroom on the second floor, the fatter of the two guards yanked him by his arms, pulling him back. Fettson went to a small lever in the wall, near where Henry's pedestal had been. 

“Have fun with Huttman's little pet.” The moment he pulled the lever, Luke and the fat guard fell through a trap door. They hit water with a wild splash that sent small waves over the murky glass surrounding them.

Luke swam around first, arms out, trying to get his bearings. He hit a glass wall to his right. Jenkins and all his entourage watched from the lobby. The men laughed, some even throwing things or tapping the glass. The women either egged their men on, or gasped in shock at the sight. Jenkins held Leia's leash and her arm, ignoring her struggles and curses as she tried to rush to the aquarium. 

A squishing noise behind Luke was accompanied by a scream of terror. He swam around...just in time to see a gigantic crimson squid wrap his tentacles entirely around the fat guard's body and squeeze the life out of him. The poor man was already suffocated when the squid shoved him into its massive mouth and razor-sharp teeth whole. 

He was already making for the aquarium's surface, but it was too late. The squid saw him out of the corner of one of it's glowing yellow eyes. It squished along, reaching out for its next meal. Luke swam to the bottom, just managing to reach for a piece of driftwood that had been used for decoration on the floor as the squid wrapped its tentacles around him. He gasped as it began to choke him. When it attempted to shove him in its mouth, he wedged the long piece of board between his jaws. It let him go as it attempted to remove this latest frustration.

Luke swam to the surface, clamoring onto the edges as soon as he emerged...but Jenkins' guards were up there as well, slamming on his fingers with their heels. He dove back in, trying to find some way to get rid of the creature. He grabbed a shell and threw it at the massive rock castle at the end of the aquarium. As the squid swam down after it's meal, the castle fell apart, burying both. Luke just barely managed to escape the rubble, but the squid wasn't as lucky. It was crushed by the rocks, suffocating in much the same way it had suffocated its victims. 

As Jenkins' men yanked him out of the tank and down the hall, he looked back towards the aquarium at the pile of rock. He regretted having to do that to the unfortunate creature. He read some of its mind. Although it loved its caretaker, Jenkins and the rest of his entourage mistreated it, feeding it just enough to survive. He actually hadn't meant to kill it, only distract it.

Out in the lobby, Jenkins' flabby face was turning several unique shades of purple. He slammed his round fist on the arm of his lounge. “Bring me Solo and the Wookie native! They're all gonna pay for what they did to my pet!” He pointed to a sobbing man in a corner. “Look at that guy! He loved his squid! He raised it from a baby!”

“Henry!” Luke looked up as two men tugged him along down the steps to the main lobby, ignoring his dripping hair and ruined suit. 

“Junior!” Henry sought out his friend, listening for his voice, as he and Charles were yanked down the hall. “How's everything?” 

Luke gave him a wan smile. “Same as always.”

His guardian grinned. “That bad, huh?”

Charles was happy he'd thought to bring a red Crimson Hawk shirt for Henry so he looked half-way decent, though most of the buttons ripped off as he flailed in his captors' arms. A couple of ladies sitting on a lounge by a window seemed to enjoy the show. “Are you all right, little mate?” He wished he could at least straighten Luke's limp ascot. He was dripping all over Jenkins' Persian rugs. “They told us you killed that giant bait Huttman uses for entertainment...”

“I'm all right, Charles.” He frowned. “Henry...you're not all right.” He saw his guardian stumble, saw the clouds in his eyes. “You're barely standing upright.”

“I'm ok, Junior. Don't worry.” His cloudy eyes sought the one person he most wished he could see at that moment. “Where's Leia?”

“I'm here!” Leia was in a smaller chair alongside Jenkins' rolling throne. He held onto her leash, while two of his men grabbed her shoulders, keeping her next to him. 

“Hey Goldie!” Jenkins bellowed. “Where's that translator? Never any help around when I need it.”

Cedric hurried to his employer's side. “I'm here, Prime Minister. I'm sorry I'm so late, but I was instructing one of the waiters on how to serve your whiskey and water.”

“Never mind that.” Jenkins jutted a thumb at the crowd. “Translate this. It's important, and half these idiots don't speak English or Tatoonese.” 

As Jenkins spoke, Cedric turned nervously to the crowd. “Oh dear. The Prime Minister of the Tatoonie Islands have placed Mr. Luke Skywalker, Mr. Henry Solo, and Mr. Charles Bacca under arrest for crimes against the government. He has decreed that you are to be terminated immediately.”

“Good,” Henry cracked. “I hate long waits.” Charles rolled his eyes and nudged him. 

“You will be fed to the sharks in Shaw Bay, as part of this afternoon's entertainment on the Prime Minster's state-of-the-art steam yacht, the Paradise.”

Henry winced. “I can think of a lot of things more entertaining than sharks gnawing on three skinny guys like us. Like how about letting us go? I can pay you, Jenkins. Just give me a chance.”

Luke's gaze was steady. “You should have bargained, Jenkins. You're going to regret this.” He eyed Leia. “I ask only one thing. Release Duchess Organa. She has nothing to do with this.”

Jenkins yanked her into her lap. “Duchess Organa and the Prime Minister have an agreement,” the tall gold-clad man whimpered. “She's to remain with him, and he won't attack her uncle in Alderaan...or do worse things to the rest of you. She's no longer your concern.” The fat official smirked. Cedric repeated his words, gulping. “He's sure he will. Guards, please take those men the hold in his private yacht.”

Leia did not like the look on Luke's face as he called out “This is the last mistake you'll ever make!” It was a look of a man who was very angry...and very calculating. He had a plan. She was sure he didn't know what it was, but he probably had one. She hoped.

“You'll be coming with me on that yacht.” Jenkins stroked her chest, his lips slobbering hungrily over her white neck. “I want you to see what happens to people who defy me, my pet. When they're gone, you'll be my private plaything. You'll never see another soul besides me and my court again.”

She groaned as he reached over for another drool-covered kiss. “I can't wait.”


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke, Henry, and Charles are to be the main event on board Jenkins' luxury yacht, the Paradise....but Luke and Leia have other plans.

The Paradise was the largest and most elaborate boat to ever sail Shaw Bay. It was more like an ocean liner than a typical sailing ship. The billowing sails alone dwarfed most of the buildings on Tatoonie Island. Everything was state-of-the-art, from the red and gold velvet staterooms to the two dining halls that could seat a hundred each. Even the crew's quarters were more luxurious than most ocean liner's rooms.

Most of the activity was currently centered on the main deck. Jenkins, resplendent in an elaborate nautical-style blue and white suit, resided on a lounge by the front of the deck, where he could see everyone enter and greet his guests on arrival or throw off anyone whom he didn't like. 

Leia perched demurely alongside him in the lounge. Her pale blue jacket with the brass buttons was low-cut enough for Jenkins to get his fingers into her bosom and fondle her breasts every now and then. The short, fluffy blue skirt was a bit looser than was fashionable, as per Jenkins' orders. He enjoyed ogling her trim ankles in shiny dark boots. She held a lacy blue parasol over her head. 

Jenkins smirked, pulling Leia into one arm and a glass of wine in the other. “Why don't you enjoy yourself, pet? Have a drink. Maybe after this, you'll learn to appreciate me.” While she shipped the strong tropical liquor, he stroked her dark hair and her soft, white neck.

Cedric couldn't believe the cacophony aboard that ship. Musicians played a lively native tune while the dancers in scanty beaded gowns shimmied and writhed before them. To his surprise, one of the women bore a close resemblance to Miss Jyn. Ahsoka, also clad in a red and gold beaded dancer's costume, sat on Mr. Fortuna's lap and played with his shiny bald head. Cassian acted as a bouncer for the dancers, glaring at any man who got anywhere near his sweetheart or any of the other women.

He had just turned the corner to find the little translator's room when he ran into someone in the dining area. “I'm terribly sorry, but I was trying to find...” 

“Hush, Goldie.” Rusty nudged him so hard, he almost ended up back on the floor. “I'm not supposed to be here. I'm replacing one of the waiters. They were going to leave me on shore. I can't leave the kid.” He patted the rolling serving tray covered with a white tablecloth. “I have what he needs right here.” The smaller man shoved up the sleeves of his too-big white coat and handed a glass to Cedric. “What's your poison? White wine? Claret? I have a champagne that everyone says is amazing...”

“I'm not here to watch you serve drinks.” The taller man gazed around him nervously. “They're going to execute Mr. Skywalker, Mr. Solo, and Mr. Bacca. If we're not careful, we'll be on the chopping block next.”

“Don't worry, Goldie.” Rusty patted what he could reach of his friend's back. “Luke knows what he's doin'.”

Cedric sniffed. “I wish I had your confidence.”

The hot late-August sun must have been getting to him, Cedric thought as he made his way to the bathrooms downstairs. He thought he saw Captain Hera, Zeb, and Sabine, one of Senator Mothma's servants, among the seedier characters in armor and slightly disreputable suits who acted as bodyguards for Prime Minister Huttman. Two more familiar men passed by him, both dressed in the loose, colorful silk robes of the Orient. He distinctly saw a bun sticking out of the turban of the first man, and wisps of blue hair out of the second.

When he got back on-deck, the two men had replaced the dancers as the primary entertainment. The taller of the two billed them as “Jarrus and Bridger, Mind-Readers of Old India.” If they were Indian, Cedric was a flying horse. Neither looked remotely Indian. Their act seemed to go over well enough as they insisted to the women that they would have many children, and that the men would all be successful in business. Even after their act was finished, they continued to linger on the opposite side of the decks, performing their tricks for the admiring dancers.

“And now, the main event.” Jenkins waved his hand as Cedric repeated his words in several languages. “The feeding of the sharks!”

Cedric was quite surprised to see Langdon Croydon among the security guards who dragged Mr. Skywalker, Mr. Solo, and Mr. Bacca up from the hold. Mr. Solo was struggling and shoving and yelling, his eyes still a bit clouded. His two companions appeared to be far less concerned. Mr. Skywalker was downright serene. 

A thick board had been pushed out over the turquoise waters of the bay. Cedric made the mistake of peering over the sides...and right into the pink jaw of a very hungry shark! He jumped back in horror. There were at least five or six such creatures swimming around the vessel, each one with teeth as sharp as knives and mouths as wide as the ship's wheel. 

“Hey you! Goldie!” Jenkins called him over. “Make with the announcements. I wanna get this over with.”

“Very well, Prime Minister.” Cedric made his way to where the musicians had been playing just moments before. “Victims of the jaws of the sharks of Shaw Bay, the prime minister wishes you should die honorably. But if any of you wish to beg for mercy, our great prime minister will now listen to your pleas.”

“I'd like to take that mercy and stuff it down his fat throat, if it can fit in there,” Henry started saying to the back of the vessel. Charles turned him to face Jenkins and his court without missing a beat. “He won't get any such pleasure from us, right Charles?”

His manservant nodded. “Forget it, Huttman. You're acting like a bloody baby over a matter that could be settled in court. You don't deserve mercy. You deserve a whack in the arse.”

Luke stood tall and firm against the stiff bay breezes. His black suit stood in start contrast to the hazy blue sky and the bright costumes of the assembled couriers. “This is your last chance, Jenkins. Free us, or die.”

The entire court burst into laughter, Jenkins longest of all. Henry gave Luke a shaky smirk. “I don't think they believed you, Junior.” He blinked, looking around. “I think my eyes are getting better. Instead of a big dark blur, I see a big light blur.”

“There's nothing to see but sand and palm trees.” Luke gave him his own wan smile. “I used to live here, you know.”

“You're going to die here, you know.” Henry shrugged. “Convenient.”

“Just stick close to Charles and Langdon.” Luke patted his shoulder. “I've taken care of everything.”

Henry was not convinced. “Right. Great.”

Cedric and Leia watched as Luke stepped out onto the wooden platform. His blue eyes took in the hungry sharks in the sparkling turquoise waters, the court hooting and jeering around him. He nodded at one of the security guards. He nudged the dancer on Bibbi Fortuna's lap, who shook the elbow of one of the dancers. She grabbed the arm of the bouncer, then gave their own nod to the performers and three of Jenkins' bodyguards. The bounty hunter in pink armor nodded at Rusty and another short waiter with orange-ish skin as the taller one grabbed the two performers from the crowd. 

The moment the guard on the board forced Luke off the plank, he grabbed the end, then did a spectacular jump over the crowd and onto the musicians' bandstand! Rusty threw off the tablecloth on the rolling serving cart, revealing a pile of weapons, including three electrical sabers. He helped Luke quickly into his, while the two performers grabbed a blue one and a smaller one with a handle shaped like a pistol.

Henry cheered loudly. “I don't know what the kid just did, but it sounds like it got Jenkins mad, and that's good enough for me!” His grin grew even wider as the sound of three electrical sabers being switched on sizzled across the vehicle. “Oh, Jenkins, you are a dead man. Go for it, Junior!”

Rusty tossed Charles his favorite mechanical longbow and a light rifle for Henry. “You think you can handle this, mate?” the taller native asked his friend.

“No clue, Charlie.” Two big hands pulled Henry back as the sounds of gunfire reached his ears. “But it doesn't sound like I have much of a choice!” He waved it around, hoping to at least hit someone important. 

Jenkins was screaming at the top of his lungs as people ran helter-skelter and his guards fought with Luke's group. Hera, Sabine, and Langdon revealed their own light guns. Cassian pulled out his gun and handed one to Jyn, who was setting up the camera she'd hidden below to take photos of the chaos. Zeb knocked guards overboard and into waiting shark jaws with his long oak wood staff. 

“Stop them!” Jenkins was screaming at the top of his considerable lungs. “Stop them! They're ruining this party! They should be shark burps right now, not running all over the place, acting like this is a circus! Get them! Kill the...hurk!” 

Gold chains circling around his neck brought an end to his tirade. Leia had scrambled behind his chair the moment he released her chain. She wrenched as hard as she possibly could, until the fat gangster's face turned several shades of purple and his thick greasy tongue hung out of his mouth. He finally sagged into the lounge, killed by the one thing he thought he owned. 

“Here, Your Grace.” Rusty unlocked the collar around Leia's neck as she pulled off the jacket. “I've got the light rifle you wanted, too.” He frowned. “You sure about this? The League of the Crimson Hawk has never had a female member...”

Leia gave him a grin Henry would have loved if he could see it. “Well, you're about to get your first.” She unbuttoned her skirt and threw it and the petticoats off, revealing a pair of tight tan trousers over the black stockings and boots. Under the jacket was a white blouse with a wide ruffled collar, a white sash, and a black vest with gold trim and brass buttons, similar to the ones worn by the Crimson Hawk and his men. 

“Who are you supposed to be?” one of the dancers asked her, shocked at her mix of masculine and feminine garb. 

“You'll find out.” Leia dashed across the deck, where Bibbi Fortuna was fighting with Langdon. She shot the tall, bald man, knocking him and Langdon over the side. Fortuna went screaming into the blue waters. 

Langdon managed to grab a rigging on the way down. “Helllp!” He dangled precariously over a shark's waiting jaws. “I don't want to end up as a dinner for a giant fish! I'm not enough to eat, anyway! There are people up there who taste a lot better than me. How about Jenkins?” The shark snapped at him. “Ok, forget that. He'd probably put too much fat in your diet anyway.”

Henry was still swinging at everyone he could actually hear when someone turned him around and kissed him. He couldn't help melting into the passionate embrace. “Leia?” Hazel eyes squinted, taking in her outfit, gently running his hands down her hips. “You look...good. I think.”

“We'll talk about my joining the League later.” She pushed him gently towards the side. “Langdon needs you. I accidentally knocked him overboard. Charles, go with him.”

The moment Solo's woman throttled the life out of his boss, Boba Fettson knew it was time to make an exit. He pulled off his own jacket, revealing what appeared to be two metal cylinders. His gloved fingers pulled a handle on one that made them light up, shooting him into the afternoon sky.

“Oh no, you don't!” Luke shimmied up the masts as quickly as he could. “You're not getting away that easily. Not after what you did to Henry!” 

“I did my job, kid.” He smirked as the boy made it to the top of the railing. “So, how did the meeting between you and Daddy Vader go?”

Luke's eyes widened. “You knew about that?” 

Fettson pulled out his two heavy guns, aiming them for Luke's heart. “Who do you think told him he had a son? Felt it was my duty to inform His Excellency that he still had some family left.” His dark eyes narrowed. “At least you have your father. The Jedi took mine when I was ten years old. I saw one cut his head off.” He shot Luke in the hand before he could pull out his saber. “Vader's still offering a damn good reward for turning you over to him, Jedi brat. That money will go a long way towards setting me up in my own business, seeing how your girlfriend down there killed my boss.”

A green beam popped over Luke's shoulder, hitting one of Fettson's canisters dead-center. They went wild, sending the green-clad bounty hunter careening wildly around the ship. The broken one backfired as Fettson tried to regain control. The whiplash from the blast was enough to send him soaring over the bay, past the sharks and back towards the mainland. 

Holding his burned hand, Luke turned to his rescuer. “Leia? What are you doing up here?” He smiled at her outfit. “You look good in that. I knew you'd be perfect for the League.”

“Thank you.” She threw the rifle into a holster on her back. “I think it's time we went downstairs. They're going to need someone to clean up the leftovers.”

Luke nodded. “The view's incredible up here, but we do have a few things we need to finish.” He grabbed her waist, took a rope from the billowing sails, and swung down to the musicians' stage.

The party was just about over. Ahsoka lead the dancers in tying up any of Jenkins' men who hadn't been thrown overboard. Zeb ran upstairs, followed by Chester and Sabine. Jyn continued to snap photos of the mess. “The remainin' bounty hunters are downstairs in the hold, Yer Grace, Mr. Skwalker,” Zeb explained. “We'll turn the lot in to the authorities when we get back to land.”

Henry and Charles were just pulling Langdon onto the boat. “Are you ok, buddy?” Henry checked his friend over. “Anythin' broken?”

“Uh, Han,” Langdon pushed his hand away, “please don't do that while you can't see. Your hand almost landed somewhere private. This is hardly the time or place to renew old acquaintances.”

Charles pulled a black vest over Henry. “Mate, how long has it been since we commandeered a ship?”

His employer grinned back. “Too long, old pal.” 

Leia took Luke and Henry's hands as the group made their way to the musicians' stage. “Ladies and gentlemen of the court!” she called. “I am the...the White Swan, agent of the Crimson Hawk, the friend of the friendless, the rescuer of the helpless! We have now taken control of this ship. Those of you who wish to be returned to shore with Prime Minister Huttman's men will be permitted to do so. As for the rest of you, if you want to join our cause, come forward now!”

Ahsoka was the first to step onto the stage, the dancers from the casino following her. “These women have been used and abused.” She put her arm around two of them. “No more. A swan may look delicate when it glides across the water, but threaten its young or its family, and it can be as vicious as any bird of prey. These swans will fight in any way they can to keep other women from being used, too.” The musicians followed, then the waiters and much of the yacht's crew. Even a few bounty hunters pledged their allegiance. 

“Thank you!” Luke raised his sword. “As soon as we leave the others at Anchorhead and turn Jenkins' men over to the authorities, we're going to return to Naboo and release our men from Nabarrie Palace. Then, it's onto the Diamond Gala Ball!” His sunny grin was nearly as hot as the yellow orb in the hazy horizon. “It'll be an event Palpatine and Fa...Baron Vader will never forget!”

As the others cheered, Ahsoka shook Luke's shoulder. “Um, we're missing two people. Where's Cedric and Rusty?”

“I found them!” Ezra pointed overboard. Two familiar figures screamed, waving their arms in the turquoise waters. “Want me to toss them a life preserver?”

Hera had already taken the wheel. “That would be nice. Chester, help him.”

Cedric looked up...just in time to see a life preserver coming right at his head. “Ouch!” The rough cloth and cork flotation device smacked his forehead hard, finally landed several yards behind him.

“Serves you right.” Rusty's snickering joined that of the others on the ship. “I told you to swim clear of the ring!”

“It's your fault we're in here at all! You just had to knock us off!” Cedric grabbed the rough rope-bound ring. “If you weren't such a midget dimwit, we wouldn't get into half the trouble we do!”

Rusty rolled his eyes as the League of the Crimson Hawk towed them to the boat. “Blow it out your ear, Goldie.”


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke helps rescue Wedge Antilles and the other members of the League of the Crimson Hawk from jail, then keeps his promise and returns to Yoda. The old man isn't long for this world, but he and the spirit of Benjamin Kenton have a lot of revelations to share...and so does Rusty.

Wedge Antilles couldn't remember the last time he saw sunlight. It had been three weeks since he and the rest of the League had been tossed into the dungeons at Nabarrie Palace. The dungeons were one of the remains of the original Nabarrie Castle, which had been torn down a hundred years before to build a more up-to-date residence for the royal family. The dungeons were still used for the most vicious criminals. The were in the oldest wing, under the military and security offices.

He and Wes looked up when they heard voices. Probably a changing of the guards or a new warden, he thought. A short figure in a gray uniform carried trays, while another was shrouded by a black cape. A third, a dark-skinned man in a general's white outfit and cape, stood by the main entrance, keeping a look out. “We've brought you your lunch, rebel scum,” said a soft woman's voice trying hard to sound male.

Hobbie raised an eyebrow. “You don't sound like the regular guard. You sound...cute.”

The figure in the cape lifted a glowing stick. “I am here to give you the last rites, my son.”

Wedge gulped. “I guess it had to happen sometime. Vader's getting rid of us. Just...Father, if you see a fellow named Luke Skywalker in your travels, tell him I love him and I miss him more than you can imagine.”

“I don't know,” said the soft voice, chuckling. “I can imagine quite a bit.” The man lowered his hood, letting the purple twilight fall on his golden hair and gentle smile. 

“Luke!” Wedge managed to reach out of the cell and hug him. “I knew you'd come for us!”

“I'd never leave you. Besides, we need you.” His lover pulled out a leaf-green electrical saber, hacking away at the lock on the cell door. The woman carrying the trays put them aside and started unlocking the door to the other cell that held Tycho and the others. 

Hobbie nearly knocked Luke over with his embrace. “Hey there, Sunshine! Glad to see you!”

Tycho smirked as he followed him. “What took you so long? We've been squashed in here for weeks! Do you know how badly these guys need a bath?”

“We'll worry about that later.” Luke tossed Wedge a gun. “You're coming with me and Rusty. Everyone else is going to take the Falcon and the Ghost to the Takodana Inn on the edge of Alderaan and Naboo.”

“Where's Solo?” The woman handed Wedge a gun that was almost larger than she was. “He loves these jail breaks. They're some of his favorite things to plan.”

The officer in gray pulled off her and the top of her uniform...revealing, to the Rogues' surprise, Duchess Leia Organa. “Henry's sick. He's in the captain's cabin at the Falcon with Charles and Cedric. Mon Mothma pulled strings and got Dr. Kalonia to make an airship call. Jenkins Huttman gave him drugs that blurred his eyesight and weakened his muscles. She says he'll recover in a few days, when he gets them out of his system, but he's not up to rescues right now.”

“Duchess?” Hobbie grinned. “I knew you were one of us at heart.”

“And I am officially now.” She handed guns to two more of the men. “Call me the White Swan. I'm leading this expedition until the Crimson Hawk is back on his feet.”

The other man in the white uniform hurried over, brandishing a pearl-handled pistol. “First of all, we'd better clear out. Vader's on his way with the head of security. Second, can I keep this?” He tugged at the white cape. “Coruscant officers always did have impeccable taste in suits.”

“Sure! Why not? It is impeccably tailored, and it might be useful for the Diamond Gala Ball.” Luke turned to a confused Wedge. “Oh, Wedge, this is Langdon Croydon, former mayor of Bespin. Langdon, this is Wedge, my...my lover.”

“You're a lucky man.” He shook Wedge's hand. “You have a good man here.”

“Thanks.” They both ducked as gunshots were heard in the hall, followed by Vader's raspy breathing. Wedge shot his light gun into the hall. “Ok, I'm glad to have met you, but how are we going to get out of here?”

“I can handle that.” Leia pulled a brass ball out of her pocket. “Henry was working on this before we arrived at Bespin. He calls it a 'smoke bomb.'” She threw it directly in the path of the oncoming officers. The second it hit the ground, the hallway was filled with a stiffling, heavy white smoke.

“Search the area!” Vader boomed. “Find them! Find my son!”

Unfortunately, by the time the clouds vanished, the entire group was gone. The head warden was turning several shades of white and purple. “Find them! Search the entire area!”

“No.” Vader's rolling hiss overrode the man's screams. “Let them go. This is all according to my master's plan.”

The officer was about ready to have a tantrum like a two-year-old. “But they're getting away!”

“Have patience.” The hiss deepened. “They will come to us.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Luke was grateful that he, Wedge, and Rusty didn't encounter anywhere near the trouble they had the first time they went to Dagobah. Indeed, it only took a few days to get there, even just with the Rogue in boat mode. There were a few alligators that tried to take a bite out of their boat. Luke used the Force to direct them back further south, where they belonged.

He was glad to have Wedge along, too. Wedge had lived in the Alliance countries for most of his life. The boat pilot easily navigated around obstacles that even Luke couldn't see without considerable use of the Force.

Besides, it felt great to have his and Rusty's encouragement. Luke wasn't sure how well Yoda and Ben – or Ben's spirit – would receive him. On one hand, he was glad to have helped rescue Henry and procure the Paradise for their use. He couldn't get the nagging thought out of his brain that Henry wouldn't have needed rescuing if he hadn't stumbled into Vader's trap in the first place.

Luke picked his way to Yoda's hut the moment they arrived at Dagobah. “You two stay on the Rogue,” he warned. “Rusty learned the hard way the last time we were here that there's some nasty monsters in and around this peninsula.”

“Kid, I'm never setting foot on that ground again.” Rusty winced. “I'd rather not end up being lunch for some hungry critter.”

“And I don't know the area as well as you two.” Wedge frowned at the tangle of vines and dripping moss in the marshes. “Are you sure you'll be all right, Luke?”

He smiled, making Wedge blush. “I'll be fine. I know my way around pretty well by now.”

Yoda was at his home when he arrived, trying to read a book. It was upside-down. He looked older and more care-worn than ever. “That face you make.” The small, greenish man frowned. “Look I so old to young eyes?”

Luke tried to give him Henry's famous reassuring smile, but it came out more worried than anything. “No, of course not. You'll never be old to me.”

“I do.” Yoda coughed. “Yes, I do. Sick, I am. Sick, I have been. Sick for years. Old and weak.” He managed to wave a bony finger in Luke's face. “When 98 years old you reach, look as good you will not, hmm?”

He could almost hear Rusty crack that Yoda looked more like he was 900 than 98, but he kept that to himself. “Master Yoda, you can't die.”

Yoda shook his head. “Strong am I with the Force, but not that strong. Fear death, I do not. It calls us all. That is the way of things. The way of the Force.”

Luke helped him into his small sleeping couch. “But you can't die now. I've come back to complete my training.”

The little master's breaths were coming faster, rougher. He coughed again, this time so hard, Luke was sure a lung would come out. “No more training do you require. Already know that which you need.”

His pupil raised an eyebrow. “Am I a Jedi, then?”

“Jedi, you are not.” Yoda's cough sent him into spasms. “One thing remains. Vader. You must confront Vader. Only then, will you become full Jedi.”

“I can't do it.” Luke shook his head. “I can't kill him. He's all the family I have.”

Yoda lay further down in the bed, trying to pull the cover over his wrinkled forehead. “Then told you, did he. Your father, he is.” He shook his head. “Warned you, I did. Incomplete was your training. Not ready for the burden, were you. Obi-Wan would have told you years ago, had I let him. Was worried...you would fall.”

The little man's dull dark eyes were mere slits now. “Luke...when gone am I, last of the Jedi will you be. Pass on...what you...have learned.” He leaned closer into the little man, trying to hear his last gasped words. “The Force is strong...in your...family. Strong...with...father...strong...with...you...with...sis....” The second the words left Yoda's lips, he settled down, his last breath spent. Luke watched in sadness as he vanished before the youth's eyes. 

Wedge and Rusty found Luke digging a hole in the marshy ground, tears in his blue eyes. “Are you all right?” his lover asked quietly. “And what are you doing?”

“Yoda died.” Luke's eyes were red-rimmed from crying. “I'm giving him a proper burial. Well, actually, I'm burying his blanket, since he vanished. I don't know if I could get away with burning it in this humidity. Great masters were always burned as a sign of respect...”

“Here.” Rusty emerged with a second shovel from the hut. “Let me help you there, son.” 

The ground took a while to yield, but when it did, they lowered a small box into the ground. Luke read a few verses from a book of the Force he found in the hut. Wedge held his hand, leaning into him for comfort.

“Yoda was a cantankerous old cuss,” Rusty confessed as he tossed a lavender marsh flower into the hole. “Hard to get along with, but I never met a wiser guy. Little ones thought he wonderful. Almost every Jedi Guard respected him, if not flat-out loved him. He was living history. Wars, peace, love, death...if it happened, he was there.”

Luke emerged from the hut first, wiping his eyes. They'd packed anything they could use for themselves and their journey southward to the Takodana Inn. Everything else would remain at the hut. Yoda seldom talked about himself, other than he had no living relatives in Asia. He had no idea what would happen to it now.

“I can't do it, Wedge,” Luke whispered to his lover as he sat on a log. “I can't go on alone.”

His head shot up as a voice blew through the sodden leaves. “Yoda and I will always be with you.”

Wedge's jaw dropped. “Sir Kenton? But he's dead!”

“It's his spirit.” Rusty waved to the trees. “Hi, Ben. Sorry about Yoda. He was one of a kind.”

Luke ignored both of them. “You told me Darth Vader betrayed and murdered my father and half the order.”

“The part about him killing the order was true enough.” Ben's sighs shook the leaves over their head. “Baron Anakin Skywalker had once been a good man, a good husband, and the best friend I ever had. I don't know the whole story, but I'm guessing that towards the end of the Alliance War, Palpatine, who had just become Prime Minister of Naboo, offered him more power in exchange for betraying the order. Yoda and the other members of the Naboo Council wouldn't grant him more duties in Guards, and the Senate considered him a maverick and refused to make him a full king with his wife.”

Luke shook his head. “There is still good in him.”

“Luke, he killed an entire school of Jedi trainees. Ask Kanan. He was one of the few survivors of that holocaust.” The wind blew towards Rusty. “Ask Mr. Arlington here. He's been our handyman for years.”

Rusty groaned. “You had to implicate me in this, old man. I kept my promise. I haven't told the kids, and Goldie doesn't remember where he is half the time.”

The golden-haired lad grabbed his shoulders. “You knew my parents, and you never told us?”

Wedge smirked. “How old are you?”

“Old enough, son.” He wrenched his shoulders from his friend's metal hand. “Anakin Skywalker was one of my best friends. In some ways, he was a lot like you, kid. He loved machines. He could make clockworks and steam engines do anything. We worked together a lot in the 1840's and 50's. I had a job as the repair man for the Jedi Guards and the royal family until Anakin went off his nut.” He glared up in the sky. “That doesn't mean the kid's gonna do what he did. You forget, Ben, he's got a lot of Padme in him, too.”

“Yes, but as you may remember, Richard, Padme couldn't bring Anakin back. I couldn't, either.” Ben's sigh was resigned. “He's more machine now than man, twisted and evil.”

Luke shook his head. “I can't do it, Ben. I can't fight my own father.”

“Are you crazy?” Wedge lifted Luke's metal hand. “How many limbs do you want him to lose?”

“You can't escape your destiny.” Ben's voice in the trees was more strident. “You must face Baron Vader again.”

Luke squeezed Wedge's hand, then lifted his head to the trees. “I can't kill my own father.” He closed his eyes, recalling Yoda's final words. “Yoda mentioned a sister.”

Wedge raised his eyebrows. “I thought you were an only child.” Rusty coughed. A hand smacked him in the back of his head. “Do you know something about this, Rustbucket?”

“Uh, well,” Rusty started, “that's something else I wasn't supposed to tell them. Ben wanted them to figure it out on their own.”

“Padme argued it. She never stopped believing in her husband, even when she was too sick to move, but we had no choice but to separate you. Richard, Yoda, Bail and I knew that if Anakin knew he had offspring, they would either be a threat to him, or he would seek them out and corrupt them as he had been corrupted.” The breeze blew around Luke. “That is the reason why your sister remained anonymous...until you and the rest of the League encountered her on the road in May.”

Luke closed his eyes. “Leia. Leia's my sister. I think I've known for a while. There was always something so...familiar...about her.”

Wedge chuckled. “No wonder you two are so much alike. You fight the same, get the same crazy ideas, and get attached to the same causes.”

Rusty nodded. “Yeah, son. Bail took her and Padme in as his adopted sister and her daughter. Padme wasn't in good shape, even then. She didn't live to see Leia's first birthday. People in Alderaan say it was the fall after Vader squeezed her windpipe or having twins under too much stress that killed her, but Bail, Breha, and I knew better. Padme died of a broken heart. She just loved her man too much.”

The errant breeze blew comfortingly across Luke's shoulder. “Bury your feelings deep down, Luke. They give you credit, but they could be made to serve the Emperor.”

“I'll be all right, Ben.” He took Wedge's hand. “Come on. We have to meet with the others.” The infectious sunshine smile returned. “We have to make plans with my sister.”


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The League of the Crimson Hawk and the Rebel Society must work together to bring down Vader and find out who's been doing the mining in Endor. But Vader may know more about their plans than they think...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! Didn't get as much done as I thought I would this weekend. At any rate, here's the next part!

The Takodana Inn was bustling. It was less than five days before the Diamond Gala Ball. The Inn was bursting with guests, many of them members of the Rebel Society or the League of the Crimson Hawk. Two airships were parked in a wide clearing a few meters away in the woods, camouflaged by leaves, sticks, and debris. The Ghost was on the water, a different name plate hiding it's original identity. 

Henry Solo was right in the middle of it, looking over maps of the Endor area with Duchess Leia Organa and Charles Bacca in the main parlor room. He was so glad Dr. Kalonia finally gave him a clean bill of health the day before. Even his eyesight was back to full power. Cedric hung over their shoulder, occasionally offering tidbits of information on the languages and culture of the area or the people coming in.

“That's Admiral James Ackbar, the oldest Naboo naval officer still plying the waters.” He pointed out a weather-beaten old man in the orange and white Naboo uniform, the brass and gold buttons shined and perfectly polished. “That pockmarked orange skin does make him look rather like an old squid, but no one knows more about the Calamari River than him and his men.”

“He and Hera could keep an eye on the Harbor while the rest of us are at the Ball.” Leia tapped the blue line on the map. “I imagine there will be patrol boats around, making sure no one tries to disrupt the festivities from that angle.”

Two gloved fingers tapped Henry on his shoulder. “Am I interrupting anything?”

“No...” Henry looked up, grinning at Langdon's purloined officer's uniform. “Well, hello there! Look at you. Wearing the general's uniform and all. What, is this your costume for the ball?”

Langdon chuckled. “Someone must have told them about my little maneuver when we raided the Island of Tanaab years ago. They want me to wear it while we take down the Death Star II.”

“Well, don't look at me, pal.” Henry nodded at the Admiral and several other old Naboo officers. “I just told them you were a fair pilot. I didn't know they were actually looking for someone to lead this raid.”

His friend smirked. “I'm surprised they didn't ask you.”

“Maybe they did,” Henry admitted as Mon Mothma came into the room, “but I ain't crazy. You're the mayor, remember? I just run a business.”

Henry helped Cedric and Leia gather the maps. Mon Mothma turned to the large ensemble. Ahsoka stood with with Cassian, who took notes, and Jyn, who was spreading her photographs out over the table Henry and the others had vacated. Henry leaned back in the couch and fought the urge to put his arm around Leia and snuggle with her while her aunt was reclining on a flowery chair just inches away.

“Prime Minister Palpatine has made a critical error,” the Senator stated. “The time for our attack has come. The Diamond Gala Ball and unveiling of the Death Star II Airship is less than a week away. With Vader sending his men to the far corners of Naboo in an effort to trace us, Nabarrie Palace should be relatively unprotected. The Prime Minister himself will be there, to be crowned king and launch the Death Star II's maiden voyage. Thanks to Palpatine's rushing, many systems on the Death Star II are not yet fully functional, including the weapons.” She nodded at the rough, elderly man with the shiny bald head and large, fish-like brown eyes behind her. “Admiral Ackbar.”

“The Khyber crystals used in most airships come from the country of Endor, on the northern wooded side of the Aldra Mountains. There have been rumors there of the citizens, many of whom have been forced to work in the mines, fighting back. We will be sending a group to Endor to contact these people and find out if they'd be willing to aid us at the Ball.” He waved his hand at a younger man with a thick gingery beard and snappy dark eyes who sported a similar Naboo naval uniform. “General Madine.”

“Thanks to the efforts of Sir Skywalker, Duchess Organa, General Langdon, and their group, we have stolen a luxury yacht, originally named the Paradise. Arriving in Lothal Harbor under the name the Aurora Belle, a group will pose as a rich family and enter the ball, bringing our men as their bodyguards and servants. Half of this group will distract the troops at the ball. The other half will board the Death Star II as crew members and deactivate the shield before it takes off.” 

Cedric gulped. “Sounds dangerous.”

Leia nudged Henry. “Wonder who they found to pull that one off?”

“General Solo,” Madine started, “is your strike team assembled?”

“The main team is ready,” Henry began. “I don't have a crew yet for the Aurora Belle.” 

Charles was the first to raise his hand. “You'd better believe I'm going, mate.”

Henry patted his friend's shoulder. “That's one.”

“General,” said Leia with a smile, “count me in.”

“We're with you, too.” Everyone looked up as Luke, Wedge, and Rusty made their way through the crowds. Rusty went right to Cedric. Wedge went to his friends after giving Luke a kiss on his cheek.

Leia put her arms around Luke, giving him a big hug. Luke looked...tired. Older, somehow. Wiser. 'What's wrong?”

His grin was weary, but happy. “Ask me again sometime.” He laughed as Charles threw his arms around him. “Hi, Charles. I'm glad to see you, too.”

“You came back right on time, Junior.” Henry rubbed Luke's shoulder. “We're going to Endor to figure out who's mining those Khyber crystals for Vader.” He gave his guardian his famous lazy grin. “Then, Golden Eagle, you're going to have to break out the good uniform. The League of the Crimson Hawk is going to crash the biggest party of the year.”

The younger man laughed. “I wouldn't miss it for the world.”

Rusty gave Cedric such a big hug, his friend could barely breathe. “Ain't this excitin', Goldie? The whole team's back together! We're gonna give the Coruscant Empire a run for it's money now!”

“Exciting,” gasped Cedric, "is hardly the word I would choose!”

~*~*~*~*~*~

“I want you to take her.” Henry and Langdon were standing out by the Falcon and Rogue airships. “You'll need all the help you can get. She's the fastest airship there is.”

“All right, all right.” Langdon laughed. “I know what she means to you. I'll take good care of her. She won't get a scratch. Honest.”

Leia and Luke came over to give him a hug. “Thanks again for helping me rescue Henry.” Luke patted his shoulder. “We couldn't have done it without you.”

“Anytime, Luke.” Langdon looked over the slightly simpler black suit he now wore. “Next time we see each other, we'll talk clothes. I need to introduce you to my tailor in Bespin.”

Luke chuckled. “I'd like that.”

“It's too bad you can't go to the ball.” Leia gave him a smaller hug. “You'd be the best-dressed man there.”

“I'll be there. I'll just be above it. Maybe I'll even drop in after we take the Death Star down.” He followed his friend Niem, a small, hang-jawed fellow from Sullustia, to the Falcon.

Henry saluted him, trying to ignore the worry in his gut. “Good luck.”

The former mayor just laughed. “Would all of you get going?”

Leia put an arm around him as they climbed into the slightly rickety carriage that would take their group to Endor. “Hey, are you awake?”

His eyes never left his beloved Falcon, parked across the way from the metal battle carriage. “I'm fine. I just got this funny feeling, like I'm not going to see her again.”

Maz and Leia followed on either side of him. “We know how much the ship means to you, Solo.” The elderly woman shook her head. “It'll be fine, and so will you. You are all destined for great things. I can see it in your eyes. You thought you wanted to do things your way. Perhaps you just needed to find others who can do things the same way, too.”

Leia gazed down at the older woman. “Aren't you coming with us?”

“I'm afraid not. I have an Inn to run.” She lead them to the heavy metal coach. “I did give the Senator the carts my boys stole when the were in town the last time.”

The Duchess turned to her as Charles helped her in the carriage. “How can we thank you, for the carriages and for the use of the Inn?”

“Get rid of Palpatine and Vader, and then, we'll talk.” Cedric was the last one in. Henry and Charles got on the driver's seat. She climbed into the driver's seat and gave Charles a kiss before he could stop her. “You be careful. I want you to come back with all your fur intact.”

Henry smirked. Charles was turning bright red, even under that thick beard. “I will, Maz. You take care.”

His employer took the reigns, still smirking. “You got something going on with ol' Maz?”

“What can I say? She likes me.” Charles nudged him. “Let's just go, before the Coruscant army gets wind of all this.”

Charles could still see Maz waving out the corner of his eye, even as they bumped and rattled down the dirt road to Naboo. He continued to blush well after they'd left the Takodana Inn far behind. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Vader was among the men at the military barracks on the border between Naboo and Endor when the armored carriage came rattling along. Admiral Piett, his top assistant, was with him. Vader felt the two Force presences in the vehicle right away. One was his son. The other...was familiar. It felt like his, yet it was different from the boy's power. More willful, angrier...and just as strong.

The group in the carriage was literally sweating it out. “They're not going for it, Charles,” Henry muttered for the sixth time since arriving in Coruscant territory.

“Now we find out if that code is worth the price the Society paid,” Leia added softly. 

Henry sounded more assured than he felt. “It'll work. Trust me.”

Piett leaned out of the heavy wooden door. “State your business.”

Henry stuck his head out. He wore one of the helmets and goggles that belonged to the Coruscant soldiers. “We're bringing parts and explosives for the miners in Endor.” He repeated the code that Mon Mothma had told them before they left. 

Vader hissed as he hovered over Piett's shoulder. “Do they have a code clearance?”

“It's an older code, sir, but it checks out.” Piett shrugged. “I was about to clear them.”

Inside the carriage, Luke had gone pale. “I'm endangering the mission,” he moaned. “I shouldn't have come.”

“Don't get jittery, Junior. As long as Vader doesn't want to look inside, we'll be fine.” Henry leaned over and stroked one of the nervous horses. “Keep your distance, Charles, but don't look like you're keeping your distance.”

Even Charles was a bit on edge. “How do you want me to handle this? The horses are about ready to bolt. They aren't fond of Vader and the noise he makes.”

“I don't know,” Henry grumbled. “Ride casual!”

After what seemed like hours, but was really not more than a few minutes, Piett leaned out again. Vader was nowhere to be seen. “You may proceed, Captain.”

“Thank you, sir.” Henry saluted him, then moved on. He threw off the headgear and turned to the others behind him. “See kids? I told you we'd do it!”

Charles snickered. “Sure you did, mate.” Leia shook her head, her eyes still focused on Luke and his palatable unease, as the carriage made its way up the winding, rock-strew cliffs.


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leia has a close encounter with the natives who live in Endor and befriends one of them. Cedric's regarded as a god by the group, but the others' aren't as delighted with his newly exalted status.

Leia had never seen so many trees in her life. Endor was mostly woods and rocky cliffs. The trees dominated everything, so large she couldn't begin to see their tops. Their roots formed tunnels over their heads. The cliffs were strewn with sharp crystal that glittered softly in the dim afternoon sun and animal holes that one could step in and turn an ankle, if not careful. Tinkling streams babbled along, carrying fish and frogs to their fall and winter homes in the Calamari River.

“It's hard to believe that Coruscant would ruin such a pretty place.” Rusty straggled along behind, admiring the view. “There's more to be learned here by just standin' and listenin' than dragging rocks out of the cliffs.”

Cedric shuddered. “I don't know how you can say that. This land is filled with wild animals and savage natives and rock slides and who knows what else?”

“Shh!” Henry waved his hand. Everyone had thrown green and white or brown and white cotton Naboo army jackets over their clothes, except Henry, who wore his brown duster that he'd taken off the Falcon before it left. “There's a couple of guys out there.” Indeed, four Coruscant soldiers in white dusters and helmets were milling around four small carts, eating their lunches and discussing going over to the mines to check on the workers later. Charles shooks his head as Henry smirked. “Charlie n' me will make short work of them.”

“Quietly, Henry,” Luke reminded him. “There might be more of them out there.”

Henry's famous lazy smirk never faltered. “Hey, it's me.” It lasted for exactly three minutes, or until he stepped on a twig. One of the men heard him and gave him a hard right to the chin, knocking him flat on his back.

“Why am I not surprised?” Luke grumbled.

“Over there!” Leia swung her finger to two officers taking off on carts. “Two more of them!”

“Thanks, lass!” Charles' bow and arrow never missed it's mark. Two more men went down, but the two Leia pointed out still managed to flee the scene. 

The duchess was already climbing into a cart. Luke knew what she was doing in an instant. “Wait, Leia!” He just managed to jump on as she took off.

There were no roads in the shadowy confines of the massive trees. The carts banged over spiky rocks and around prickly pine bushes. Leia's driving was confident despite the obstacles, just making it around two tremendous oaks that the soldiers behind them were unable to miss. When a branch knocked one off, Luke leaped onto his cart.

Even as they continued through the brush, three more carts flanked them. “You take that one,” Luke insisted. “I'll take these two.” He turned away from her, through a split in a pine tree that was taller than the largest steam ship in the world. 

Leia's small horse was tiring. She couldn't outrun this man...but she might be able to out-shoot him. She pulled out her light gun and took a few shots, dodging bullets from his direction. She was about to fire again when her horse let out a spooked whinny. 

“Whoa!” Her horse turned just in time, turning away from the edge of the Khyber Cliffs. The cliffs were among the steepest in Europe. People had died climbing them, never mind horses. The other fellow wasn't so lucky. He tried to stop too fast and was flung from his vehicle, his body last seen in free-fall over the sides. She could hear him screaming all the way down.

“Stop!” Leia tugged at the reins, but it did no good. Her horse kept running, the cart nearly flying over rocks and brush that poked hard into her tender skin. Worried that they too would go off the edge, she leaped out of the cart, landing in a bed of moss, as the horse galloped off into the distance. It was the last thing she saw before collapsing into the soft undergrowth.

~*~*~*~*~

Something hard and pointy was poking at her. She thought it was a pine cone or a thorny branch, until she heard the squeaks. They were loud and almost as sharp as whatever object was poking her in the side. 

“Enough!” Leia shoved the pointy thing aside...and was surprised when she saw a tiny man clutching the other side. His fur robes, complete with hood with rounded ears, gave him the look of a wide-eyed bear cub. The spear he carried was less adorable. His face was plump and chubby, still showing its baby fat. “You're...you're a child.” 

It gave a little growl, holding up what turned out to be a spear. “I won't hurt you. I don't hurt cubs.” She rubbed the bruised elbow she'd landed on. “Wish I knew where I was. Maybe you can help me, little one.” Her fingers brushed the log she'd climbed onto. “Why don't you join me?”

The little fellow continued to hold the spear at her. His growled “No!” hardly needed translation.

“Here.” She pulled a handkerchief out of her pocket and opened it, revealing dried fruit and meat and a few biscuits. “Would you like to share my lunch with me?”

He poked at her lunch, seeming intrigued despite herself. She thought he'd go for the meat, but he was more interested in the ginger spiced biscuits. “Try them. Maz Kantana made them. She's an excellent cook.” 

His tiny pug nose sniffed wildly at the spicy, molasses-sweetened delicacies. She handed him one, then bit into another. “Oooh, they're delicious! I think Maz must have used fresh ginger. Must have gotten it from one of those fellows who hang around at the Inn. I knew they were pirates.”

The little man-cub ignored her talk and snatched a biscuit from her lap. He nibbled at it, slowly at first, but then faster as a big, dimpled smile spread across his plump face. His little legs scrambled onto the log next to her, enjoying his unusual treat. “You're a jittery little fellow, aren't you?” she asked him as he wolfed down one cookie, then another.

Rustling leaves and the cry of warblers over their heads attracted his attention. His big brown eyes gazed around furtively. Leia may not have understood what she said, but she got the gist of the meaning. Something was out there. Something bad.

Two bullets were fired into the log, just missing Leia's leg. They both ducked behind the log as Leia exchanged fire. The little fellow pushed behind Leia, chattering furiously, his shining eyes big and fearful.

“You!” She hadn't seen the other officer, at least until he reached out and grabbed her arm. “What do we have here?” He nodded at his friend. “Go get our cart. We'll take her to Hux.”

The little cub-man wasn't about to let a mean man in white harm his new friend! He stabbed him hard with the spear in the part of his leg between his boot and his trousers. The man went down with a yelp, giving Leia the chance to knock him out with a thick branch. She shot the other man in the shoulder. He fell off his cart and into the ravine.

“Let's get out of here, before the whole Coruscant Army shows up.” Leia helped him off the log. “We need to find my friends, too. I imagine they're worried sick about me by now.”

The little fellow squeaked, waving his fur-covered mittens in the direction of the ravine. He grabbed his new lady friend and pulled her off into the woods. He knew where she would be taken care of, where no one would ever find them.

~*~*~*~*~*~

In another part of the woods, Luke and Henry were having their own problems. Henry's right leg was currently lodged under Charles' stomach. His left one was squashed uncomfortably between Luke's thigh and Rusty's right foot. Being trapped in a vine net wasn't nearly as much fun as the penny dreadfulls would have you believe. He now knew what a salmon felt like after it was caught by a fisherman.

“This is just great,” he groaned as they swung in the net, suspended above the mossy ground. “Always thinking with your stomach, Charlie. Did it ever occur to you that the only people who would leave dried meat hanging around are local natives who want dinner?”

Charlie tried to shrug, but his shoulders were wedged against the bottom of the ropes. “Sorry, mate. I was hungry. I hadn't had anything to eat since lunch!”

Henry rolled his eyes. “That was an hour ago!”

“Stop complaining, you two.” Luke tried to make the net swing further. “Henry, can you reach my saber?”

“Sure!” Henry tried to stretch his fingers towards Luke's electrical pack, but they kept twirling around every time he moved. All he got was dizzy.

Rusty made a face. “This is ridiculous. Looks like it's up to me to get us out.” 

Cedric saw the knife he pulled out of his pocket flash. “Rusty, I'm not sure that's a good idea. It's very...ohhh!”

The moment Rusty cut through the bottom of the net, they all dropped to the ground, falling on a bed of leaves and each other. “Ok,” the handyman groaned, “maybe that wasn't the smartest thing I ever did, but how else were we gonna get out of there?”

Luke was more concerned about the faces gathered around them. He'd never seen such small beings. Even the tallest only reached his hip, and he was considered to be a small man. Each and every one wore the pelt of an an animal – bear, fox, rabbit, wolf – they'd caught. The older warriors sported black smudges around their eyes and noses that were probably intended to show their rank. All carried spears, knives, or sharp staffs.

“What the hell is this?” Henry grinned. “Did we fall into a toy store? Since when did they start selling stuffed animals in the middle of the woods?”

One of the “stuffed animals” didn't like Henry's quick movements or his insolent tone. He thrust his spear in his face, chattering heavily. “Hey!” Henry shoved it away. “Point that thing someplace else, Baby Bear.”

Luke took his light gun before he could cause trouble. “Henry, don't. It'll be all right. I can read their minds, you know. They're the 'local natives' you mentioned. They're more scared of us than we are of them.” They all handed over their weapons to Luke, who handed them to one of the older warriors.

“Oh, my head!” Cedric sat up, rubbing the back of his skull. “Why do we always have to make such hard landings?”

Every native around them chattered even more noisily, pointing to Cedric's bright gold coat and trousers. They were even more astonished when this vision spoke to them in their own language. They dropped to their knees and bowed before him, chanting in what sounded like gibberish to Henry.

Luke raised an eyebrow. “You understand what they're saying?”

“Why of course, Mr. Skywalker!” Cedric beamed. “I'm fluent in almost every language used by the Alliance, including some of the little-known ones. I could be mistaken, since they're using a very primitive dialect, but I do believe they think I'm their sun god.”

Rusty and Charles burst into laughter, and even Luke couldn't resist a smile. Henry's smile was more feral. “Well, why don't you use that divine influence of yours and get us out of this? Tell them we need to find Leia, too.”

Cedric sniffed. “I'm sorry, General Solo, but that wouldn't be proper.”

Henry's mouth dropped open. Luke, Rusty, and Charles nearly fell over laughing at the incredulous look on his expressive face. “PROPER?”

Two of the little men helped him to his feet. “It's against my job description to impersonate a deity.”

“Why, you...” He was about to grab Cedric and deck him in that snotty nose of his when six spears were immediately thrust in his face. “My mistake.” He put out his hands in defeat. “He's an, uh, old friend of mine.” The other three rolled on the ground with laughter.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Luke and Charles found it far less amusing when they were all trussed up on poles and brought to their campsite, high in the trees near the cliffs. Rusty and Henry were yelling something fierce, but the little warriors ignored them. Luke didn't like what he was reading in their minds. They thought they'd found dinner! Cedric, on the other hand, was carried on a litter piled with soft moss and set before a roaring fire.

“I have a really bad feeling about this.” Henry tried to twist towards Cedric and his throne. “Goldenrod, what's going on?”

Cedric shrugged. “I'm rather embarrassed, sir, but it seems you four are to be the main course at a banquet in my honor.”

“Boys!” One of the younger warriors lead Leia into the main square. Henry wished she'd let her hair down more often. Her long, flowing locks and the ruffly White Swan blouse under her tunic made her look like the portraits of wild women and ancient princesses he'd seen in books on Medieval Naboo. She turned to her squeaking companion. “These are my friends, not your next meal!” She went to Cedric's side. “Please tell them that they must be set free!”

The “god” spoke to the two tallest natives in their own language. The one in the eagle's head and feathers shook his head, waving away the witch doctor in huge caribou antlers. “I'm sorry, Your Grace, but they just won't listen to me. They say they haven't had a good catch in months, thanks to those abominable Coruscant soldiers chasing off their game. They need this meal.”

“Does it have to be us?” Henry struggled wildly. “I could get you some meat from the butcher in Theed Town. He's an old friend of mine. What do you say?”

Luke sighed and closed his eyes. Cedric suddenly lifted out of his throne and into the air, flying around like a deranged, skinny golden bird. “Eeeek! Ahhh! Put me down! I don't like heights! I'm going to be sick! Help! Mr. Skywalker! Rusty, do something!”

Rusty was watching Luke with a knowing look. He turned a big grin up to his best friend, currently hovering several feet over his head. “You get them to turn us loose, and we'll let you down.”

“Yes, yes! Anything!” Cedric covered his eyes, shaking from head to toe. “Please just let me down!”

They had no problems obeying orders after that. Leia rushed to Henry the moment he was free, kissing him as passionately as she could as he spun her around, to the delight of some of the more romantic-minded natives. Charles gathered both in his arms for a big hug. “Glad to see my tykes back together!” he roared happily.

Rusty pulled a small box of out of his pocket as soon as Leia's little friend freed him. “Come 'ere, kid.” He zapped him in the rear, making him jump and squeak. “That's what you get for treating us like the catch of the day. Try that again, and you'll get it on the other side!”

Charles pulled Luke into their tight circle. The younger man beamed up at Cedric from under Charles' hairy arms. “Thanks, Sun God.”

Cedric was back on his litter, mopping himself with a handkerchief. “I never knew I had it in me!”

~*~*~*~*~*~

The gold-clad secretary was in rare form that night. As the stars glowed through the treetops, they provided the perfect spotlight for the secretary to tell them stories of their journeys. He told them of the valiant warriors Crimson Hawk and Golden Eagle, and of the beautiful chief's niece who became the White Swan. He told of the native who fought with them, of the servants who aided them, of the friends who helped them along the way. They gasped as he spoke of a man who was half-machine, of the grotesque slug-man who tried to feed them to hungry predators, of the terrifying crone who held their country in his grip. 

There was much chattering among the natives. Leia's little friend squeaked, tugging at her sleeve. Leia patted his back. “I can't speak their language, but I think he's trying to tell me that his leaders are debating whether or not to join us.” He sighed and leaned against Leia as she patted his back.

After a few moments, the tallest native, the one whose headdress was made of the skull of a hawk, stepped out. Cedric translated his speech. “Members of the Rebel Society, we apologize for capturing your leaders earlier. We are in dire straits. The men in the carts made of metal invaded our homes two years ago. They destroyed our villages and hunted or frightened off our game. Many of us were forced to work in the Khyber Crystal mines on the cliffs, taken from our families, never to be seen again. Other tribes have moved further into the hills, but we of the Sequoya Clan will not leave. This is our sacred home. Our ancestors raised their children here, and their ancestors. We will fight with you for what is ours.”

As the drums pounded, Leia's friend flung himself into Henry's arms, squeaking excitedly. Cedric joined them. “We're now a part of the tribe, sir.” He nodded at the little warrior. “That's Wicket. He's one of the youngest scouts. He and his hunting party will take us to the mines tomorrow morning.”

Henry tried to grin. “Just what I always wanted.”

Charles was attempting to pry another warrior off his leg. “Aren't they a bit small for dealin' with the Coruscant Army?”

“Well, short help is better than no help at all.” His boss was having an equally hard time getting Wicket's big paws from around his leg.

Luke wandered away from the festivities. One of the bridges connecting the two halves of the village had an excellent view of the indigo sky. He looked out into the stars, his mind a million miles away.

“Hey.” Leia put her hand on his shoulder. “You've been distracted ever since you came back from Dagobah. Wedge and Henry have noticed it, too. Wedge told me something happened, but he said it was personal and I'd have to ask you about it.”

“Leia,” Luke began, “do you remember the day I met you, when we discussed our parents?”

“Yes.” She chuckled. “How could I forget that day? You and Ben must have ridden like the wind to get there ahead of us.”

“We did.” His gentle face was the most serious Leia had ever seen it. “Leia, I'm going to have to confront him. Not now. He's not here. He left for Nabarrie Palace a few hours ago.” The soft voice cracked a bit before continuing. “He's my father.”

“Your father?” Leia couldn't believe that. “I thought you said Vader murdered him.”

“Ben didn't tell me the whole truth. Vader didn't kill him. He changed his identity after joining Palpatine.” His face was stony, but his eyes spoke volumes about the pain he felt. “There was a rift between him and Ben that ended with him in the suit. Ben didn't explain it. I may ask him about it when I see him.”

“Luke, you don't have to do this.” Leia gently put a hand on his shoulder. “Stay with us. We'll protect you. You know we will.”

“No. If I don't come back, you're the only hope for Naboo.” His fingers laced with hers. “Did you ever wonder how we were able to communicate when I was in trouble in Bespin? Why we just seemed to...connect...even after only knowing each other a few months?”

“Actually, yes. Ever since I met you, it's been like I've known you all my life, like you were my childhood imaginary friend.” She frowned. “Why?”

“The Force runs in my family, Leia, or so Ben told me.” He sighed. “Vader has it. I have it. And...you have it. My sister has it.”

Her eyes widened, then turned up to the bright, glittering sky. “Aunt Breha and Uncle Bail told me that Mother died when I was young. I wish I remember her better. They said she was a remarkable woman.”

“Ben says she was, too.” Luke's voice dropped to a whisper. “I've done research on her. Quenton Jinn had piles of books on the royal family in the library at Corellia Manor. They said Queen Padme was one of the greatest rulers Naboo ever had, that she was wise and generous and fair.”

“Queen Padme?” Her heart nearly stopped. “You mean, we...”

Luke dropped into a low bow. “My name is Prince Luke Quenton Amidala Skywalker. Ben told me this shortly after we met. I didn't believe him at first...until the Naboo soldiers went after us and killed my aunt and uncle, Vader's stepbrother and his wife.” 

“You mean,” Leia breathed, “I'm a princess. I'm the princess of Naboo.”

“And we're the country's rightful rulers.” Luke raised himself back up, his sapphire eyes deadly serious. “That's why I have to confront him. I can bring him back, Leia. He still loves Mother. I heard the longing in his voice when I mentioned her in Bespin. If he can love her, there's still a little piece of goodness left in him.”

Henry poked his head out. “What are you kids up to? We're starting to make plans to raid the mines tomorrow. The Ewok tribe knows where the Coruscant fort that's generating the electricity for the mine is.” His grin was wide. “The League of the Crimson Hawk is going to ride again.”

“Just talking.” Luke pulled him over. “Henry, I need to tell you, too. You're my guardian and Leia...well, I know you and Leia are close. You can't tell anyone else, though. Not even Charles.”

Henry crossed his arms. “Tell them what?”

Leia leaned into his arms. “Henry...Vader's our father.”

“What?” He took her shoulders. “What gave you that idea? You're too good for that maniac, both of you!”

“Vader told me in Bespin.” Luke shuddered. “Yoda confirmed it when I went to see him with Wedge and Rusty. Considering how old he was, if anyone knew whose parents were whose, it was him.” He took his friend's shoulder. “I'm going to have to deal with him eventually, probably when we get to the ball.”

“I don't like it, kid, but you do what you have to.” Henry rubbed Leia's back, but he was looking at Luke with a wan grin. “Just don't get yourself killed, ok? We need someone to kick Vader's rear. Why not his own son?”

Luke gave him an equally shaky smile back. “I'll be careful, Henry.” The older man put his arms around both of them, letting his ward and his ward's sister melt into his warm, safe embrace.

Han patted their backs. “Now, come on, kids. We have a busy day tomorrow. We're gonna give the Coruscant Army a ghost tale they'll never forget!”


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The League of the Crimson Hawk takes a mine train ride into the Khyber Crystal Mine of Doom to release the captive Ewoks who are being forced to mine crystals and end their operations. Hux, however, would love to put a crimp in their plans.

Hux despised this assignment. These savages lived like animals. He had no idea how they could exist without niceties like indoor plumbing or clothes that weren't made from bear skins. Not to mention, he was no outdoorsman. He had been attacked by at least six blood-sucking insects, a deer nearly blindsided their carriage, and three birds used the shoulders of his good summer uniform to relieve themselves on. 

The cliffs on the border of Endor and Naboo were said to have contained rich khyber crystal deposits since antiquity. Until the last 20 years or so, only the Jedi Guards knew the secret of how to obtain the crystals, and they took what they needed and no more. Vader, a former Jedi, revealed this secret to the Prime Minister. The local tribes were conscripted to work the mines. They were the only people in the kingdoms who were short enough to fit through the narrow tunnels. 

“I never understood that concept.” Hux climbed out of the carriage, followed by two of his men. More men climbed out of smaller carriages and carts, sporting lances and heavy rifles. “Why would you only take what you need? If you can have it all, you take it, as fast as possible.”

The shorter of the officers looked up in the air nervously. “You know, I've been hearing strange noises in the mines all morning. A low moan, like a deer is trapped in one of the tunnels...or a ghost.”

“Don't be silly.” Hux rolled his eyes. “There's no such thing as ghosts. I'll show you myself.”

He stormed into the tunnels, the two men trailing behind, and jumped into the first mine cart he saw. One of his men pushed the lever, setting them off down the trail. The mines were lit by the finest Khyber lamps, which glowed an eerie green and blue in the stifling passages. 

They came to a stop at the bottom of the shaft, in the main room of the largest mine. Hux was barely able to stand upright. The top of his gingery head brushed the ceiling. Little people in tiny jumpsuits wound their way through narrow openings around them, hacking crystal out of the walls. His men barked at them, making sure each did their job without insubordination. Each creature was chained together by their ankles, keeping them from attempting to flee or rebel.

The taller officer nearly jumped into his lap as a louder moan blew through the mines. “Did you hear that? This place is haunted!”

The other officer wrung his hands nervously. “The spirits of the Jedi Guards have come back to destroy us! They know we're taking their crystals. They know what we're doing.”

“Oh, knock it the hell off!” Hux would have slapped his men silly if they hadn't been wearing those hard metal helmets. “There are no such things as ghosts! I'm going to prove it to you!” He stormed into the nearest tunnel...and reeled back out when his head hit the top of the wall. “Blast it!” His snapping amber eyes swiveled to his snickering men. “Don't any of you dare laugh!”

Another moan sent most of his men moving several feet back, their guns drawn, and the little nativs chattering into their holes. “This is utterly childish.” The general stomped back to the tunnel, this time ducking and making sure to stay low. He snatched a torch lit by green fire on his way.

“Hello?” The inky blackness was unnerving. There was nothing around him but crystal and wooden support beams. “Hello in there! Whomever you are, show yourself! You are trespassing on government property! As a representative of the Coruscant Empire, I demand that you show yourself!”

The eerie green glow of his torch was matched by one that was more sickly. To his shock, two figures in woolen cloaks covered in what appeared to be a greenish and bluish film, hovered slowly across the rocky ground. One figure was tall enough that his head was bent down. The other was a bit smaller and more slender. “You,” whispered the first figure, “are the trespasser. The Khyber Crystal mines are sacred territory. Only Jedi are permitted here. You and your soldiers are the intruders.”

“No we're not! We own these mines now.” Hux glared at the figures. “Leave these mines at once, or I'm placing you under arrest!”

That was when the smaller man began to laugh. It was more like the cackle of a demented clown than a laugh, and it chilled Hux to the bone. “Can you arrest us? Can you arrest what isn't there?”

“You are there! I can see you! I'll prove it!” He put the flame to the taller man. He winced, pulling away. The khyber crystal coating had melted, revealing a black hooded cape covering an arm clad in a red blouse. “See? You're not real ghosts!”

“Maybe we're not real ghosts.” A louder moan came closer and closer. “But we are your worst nightmare.” He pulled a Jedi's electrical saber from behind his back as his friend let out a noisy whistle that echoed in the tunnel.

That was when Hux saw the light. The light was a sickly green glow, almost hypnotically bright in the tunnel. It came closer...until it was flashing in his eyes and nearly running him down. The man slashed at him, cutting off his torch. It hit the ground, flaring out. The light kept coming closer...closer. It had him hypnotized...

Until a pair of arms clad in a flowing white blouse knocked him into a hard, splintering vehicle! “Got him, mate,” a voice boomed. “Are you gonna let the others out?”

“Already on it.” Hux heard a thousand “clicks” echo through the tunnels, followed by a squeaky, noisy cheer. “There. Used the Force to release the prisoners.”

“You!” Hux squirmed in the big galoot's arms. “It's you! The man who kidnapped me at Chalindria Court!”

“Aw, pipe down.” Another short man, this one in a white blouse and a blue carpenter's apron, was holding down his legs. “We're just freeing your workers. Ain't nice to chain 'em up like that.”

“Why are you worried? They're just savages.” Hux sniffed. “No one cares about them.”

The big man wrapped his fingers around Hux's neck and squeezed. “I do, you stuck-up, skinny table leg!”

“Chewbacca, release him.” As Hux panted, he saw the two men throw off their glowing cloaks. His eyes widened. The taller sported a red blouse with a black vest; his smaller friend wore gold and black. Both had hoods and goggles. The taller one gave them a lazy smirk. “We'll find something useful to do with him.” 

“Maybe later!” A short woman in a white ruffled blouse, black vest, and the same goggles and leaped in the cart Hux vacated, tossing a protesting Cedric in with her. “My warrior friend Wicket went to get the rest of his tribe. For now, we just have to hold off Hux's boys.”

“Let me go, you nasty ape!” Hux kicked at Rusty, who grabbed his knee instead of holding him. He shoved Charles' arm, then leaped out of the cart, landing with a hard thud as he landed. He took off after them in the next mine cart that rolled after them.

“Sir!” One of the men saluted him. “I don't know how this happened, but the workers have all escaped, sir. We can't follow them into the tunnels. They're too narrow.”

“Never mind the blasted natives!” He pointed at the group in front of him. “That's the Crimson Hawk and the Golden Eagle! Shoot them! Vader wants the Hawk dead!”

Henry looked over his shoulder, just barely avoiding a bullet. “Shit,” he muttered, pulling out his own gun. “They're shootin' at us!”

Leia called over her shoulder. “We're going to take the tunnels back up to the surface! We'll meet you there!” She reached out a pulled a lever that separated the tracks. She and the carts filled with workers went to the right. Henry and the others and Hux and his men went to the left.

Henry ducked as they blasted down the rickety, slightly rusty track. “Kid, you direct this tub. Make sure we're goin' on the right track.” He leaned over to return fire to three soldiers behind them.”Chewbacca n' I will cover for you.” 

The tunnels were low and and fairly narrow. Luke yelled “Duck!” every time a cropping of crystal on the ceiling or wooden beams came into view. He used the Force to change the signals and keep as many of the soldiers as he could off the track. 

“We're almost there, kid!” Henry winced as the cart flew uphill, going slower and slower. “I just hope this pile of splinters can make it.”

“Everybody lean upwards!” Charles pushed at the front slats. Luke used the Force to push from behind. Rusty shoved at Charles' back. Henry kept firing.

None of them were ever so happy to see daylight. “Everyone out!” Rusty tumbled out first. “Let's get a move on! Those creeps are still after us.”

“Right.” Henry started gathering branches. “I read this in a western story in a magazine once. There's a pretty good-sized hole here. We'll cover the hole, lead Hux and his idiots to it, and let them fall in.”

“That would be a wonderful idea,” sneered a familiar voice, “if we hadn't already heard it.” Hux and two of his men were leaping out of their carriage. At least ten or twenty more followed behind them. “I knew I'd capture you someday, Crimson Hawk. You too, Golden Eagle. It's the end of the line for both of you.”

“Not yet, it isn't!” Hux didn't look up fast enough. A short blur in white and black ruffles swung into him, knocking him into three of his men. “You forgot the White Swan, asshole!”

“Good work,” Henry smirked, “Swan.” 

Leia tossed his gun to Henry. “Nothing to it.”

The moment her booted feet slammed into Hux's gut, the rallying cry of hollowed-out ox horn sounded the alarm. Wicket lead his fellow warriors into the clearing, throwing spears, jabbing knives into the exposed parts of their knees and arms, and knocking them to the ground with rocks thrown from catapults and natives on gliders.

“Did we make it?” Cedric hurried over, followed by the Chief, the medicine man, and several of the taller, older warriors. “Wicket and I raced as fast as we could to the village. They sounded their version of an emergency alarm and rounded up three other villages to help.”

“You did wonderful, both of you.” Leia hugged him. “I'm proud of you.”

“Yeah, Goldie.” Rusty grinned. “You did ok.”

Rusty smirked. “And now, we're going to make sure no one can go back into those mines. Everyone out, Goldie?”

Cedric looked up from Chief Chirpa. “The Chief says all are accounted for, including those who were held in the mines and the camp.”

“Good.” Henry gathered shiny blue and green sticks bound together and handed them to Rusty. “We're going to take these to the main entrance. I've done enough experimentin' to know that when khyber liquids get too hot or are boiled too rapidly, they'll make some damn good noise.” He rubbed the back of his head, where several faded blue and green blotches were visible. “No one knows better n' me.”

Leia helped the warriors throw nets over the remaining soldiers and load them into carts driven by members of the League of the Crimson Hawk. “They'll take them over the border and turn them into the nearest local authorities.” She pointed her sword at Hux, who squirmed between Luke and Charles' arms. “What are we going to do about him?”

Luke ran a finger over his coat. “You know, this is excellent workmanship. Very nice. Your tailor does a good job.” 

“Thank you.” Hux sneered. “But it still won't save you. When Vader finds out what you've done...”

“I think we should take this nice outfit with us.” Henry's smirk grew wider as he rejoined them. “The kid knows about clothes. They're too good for you, Hux. We'll dump him an' his men in the mining camp on the bottom of the cliff.” He turned to Cedric. “Hey Goldenrod, how'd you like to be promoted?”

Cedric raised his eyebrows in confusion. “To what, sir?”

Henry put an arm around him. “Cedric Thrombottom, you came to Endor as a god...but you'll be going to the Diamond Jubilee Ball as a general!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Probably not hard to tell that I'm also a big Indiana Jones fan, and...yeah, given the setting of this segment, I couldn't resist a homage to one of the best parts of "Temple of Doom." ;)


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Major plans are afoot for the Diamond Jubilee Gala Ball. Meanwhile, Vader's beginning to realize his boss Palpatine is not trustworthy...

Vader gazed out the window of Nabarrie Palace. The current palace had been built in the 1770's, after most of the original complex burnt to the ground. The only part of the original palace left was the West Wing, his personal residence in town, and the below-ground dungeon and jail levels. He had a sweeping view of the magnificent gardens and tinkling fountain in the path that lead to the main entrance. Soon, he, his son, and his master would rule this palace. They would get what they deserved.

He felt, rather than saw, his master's entrance. “I thought I told you to stay on the Death Star until the night of the ball.”

Vader let out a soft hiss. “A detachment of rebels entered Endor, my master. They managed to block the entrance of the khyber crystal mines and release the workers. Hux and his men were found in the empty camp below the cliffs, bound, gagged, and stripped of their uniforms.” He paused before adding “My son was with them.”

Palpatine narrowed his eyes. “I had heard about the disaster in Endor, but not that young Skywalker was among the rebels.”

His pupil nodded slightly. “I have felt it, my master.”

“Strange that I haven't.” He settled down heavily in the velvet-covered chair behind his simple dark wood desk. “Your son will come to the ball, along with the Crimson Hawk and his people. You are to bring him directly aboard the Death Star II, where I'll prepare him to become my newest apprentice.” His oily smile spread from ear to ear and looked more like a death's head. “As for the Crimson Hawk, my men will see to it that he's in front of a firing squad before the night of the ball is out.”

“Master,” Vader hissed softly, steam escaping from the tubes on his mask, “I was hoping...I wished to teach the boy myself.”

“You are not ready to teach. He'll benefit more from my wisdom.” He arched an eyebrow. “Have I made my feelings on this clear, Baron?”

The hulking black monolith nodded slightly. “They are clear, Master.”

“Good.” Palpatine turned to his paperwork. Vader returned to his gazing. He was beginning to wonder if he'd made a mistake with his revealing the boy's existence to the Prime Minister. He'd trusted him for years, ever since he'd rescued him from the fires of the Mufasar Smelting Factory. He would never forgive Kenton for the destruction of his limbs...but he was wondering if, in saving him, Palpatine had done something far worse. He would have to give up his family, his wife, his humanity, the people who cared about him...for what? For an old man's obsession with dominating the world?

He no longer knew who to trust. Kenton and the Jedi Order had betrayed him, but his master may have done something worse. He thought Palpatine had saved his life. What he'd done was make him into as much of a slave as he was as child in the wilds of the Tatoonie Islands. He knew something would have to be done. Even as his master worked, he began to form a plan of his own.

~*~*~*~*~*~

“Do I HAVE to go dressed like this?” Jyn whined for the sixth time that afternoon. She, Ahsoka, and Leia were in a small costume shop in the bad part of Lothal, being fitted for their Diamond Jubilee Ball gowns. “I don't look nothin' like a fairy!” Her green and pink rose-trimmed gown with its flowing sleeves rustled as she tried to tug at the gossamer fabric wings. 

“I think you look lovely.” Sabine finished the last seam. “There. That'll do it.”

“I agree.” Ahsoka's gown was even more elaborate. “You look like a beautiful fairy godmother.” She sported a long, lacy gown of blue and white lace and tulle, giving it a wider, more flowing skirt under the soft silk bustle. A crystal tiara sparkled in her black and blue braids.

“Are you ready? Is almost time to...” Cassian's concerned look became a flirtatious grin. “My senorita, you have only been fairy for five minutes, but you have already bewitched me.” He kissed her hand, looking up at her with adoring eyes.

“Better watch the slobbering, mate, or I'll have to turn you into a butterfly.” But she was grinning rather stupidly. 

“You look pretty good yourself.” Ahsoka looked over his striking blue uniform, with its golden braid, shiny black boots, and wide red sash. “We're honored to be in the presence of the handsomest man in the Spanish Army.”

“Oh, this old thing.” Cassian dusted off one of the yellow cuffs. “Is from when I was officer. They don't know I keep it, but what they don't know won't hurt me.” 

“Is everyone ready?” A rustle of feathers drew the group's attention. Ahsoka's eyes widened. The white feathered cape...the long white gown, trimmed with feathers and sprinkled with glistening crystals...the silver tiara with the pale blue crystals...the long hair twisted into a braid crown and intricate buns...

“You look...so much like your mother.” There was a catch in Ahsoka's voice when she went to tuck a strand of Leia's hair behind her ear. “It's almost like having her alive again.”

“Thank you.” She gave Ahsoka a hug. “You look amazing yourself. They're not going to know what hit them at Nabarrie Palace.”

“Am I interrupting anything?” Henry popped his head in. His eyes widened the second they went to Leia. “Your Worship, you look...really, really beautiful. I mean, I've seen you in dresses before, but this...” He kissed her gloved hand. “You're not a duchess. You're a swan queen.”

Leia raised an eyebrow at his costume. “I thought you were dressing up?”

Henry tugged at the red paisley bandanna around his neck and pulled his white Stetson hat low over his eyes. He sported a red blouse and black vest with a heavy leather belt. Leia couldn't help admiring his shapely rear in tight navy trousers with red stripes. “I thought I could hide better this way. No one's expecting a rich friend of Hux's to dress as a cowboy. Besides,” he whipped a pair of pearl-handled pistols out of his belt, “I had to sneak these in somehow. They're laser guns in normal gun casings.”

“Is everyone ready?” Luke peered in next. Unlike Henry, he was dressed to the nines as a courier of the previous century, complete with knee-length black coat with rococo gold trim, a gold blouse with a black vest and a white cravat, black breeches, black shoes with gem-studded buckles, and the fluffiest white wig he could find at Lothal's wig shop. 

Henry snorted. “Kid, you look like a sheep in a fancy jacket.”

Luke smirked. “Considering you're dressed as a man who pokes cows for a living, I'll take that as a compliment. The jacket's big enough to hide my saber. Leia, do you have your sword?”

“I had to borrow it from Kanan before he and Ezra went with to help the Rogues, but yes, I do have one.” Leia patted the dress' wide skirt. “I also have two guns and a knife under here.”

Charles came in next, followed by Rusty. Both were dressed in the uniform of the Coruscant Army...but the uniform was too tight on Charles' hulking form, and too long for the short Rusty. Rusty was still rolling up his pant legs when they marched in. “Presenting, in person, the pride of Arkansis in northern Naboo, General Brendol Hux!”

No one walked in. All they heard was a muffled “I am not doing this!”

“Get in here, you skinny coward!” Rusty shoved his best friend through the door. Leia had to admit that, despite his trepidation, Cedric did cut a rather dashing figure in Hux's white dress uniform, complete with cape. Sabine and Hera had even found him a passable gingery wig.

Jyn wrinkled her nose. “You look like a red-headed Director Krennic. He was in charge of building the Death Stars at the Erso Shipyards, until he got blown up with the rest of the area. He was a real pain in the arse.”

“Don't mind her, senor.” Cassian patted his shoulder. “You are so good-looking, I think you were Hux for second.”

“Really? You really think I look like him?” Cedric stood a little straighter. “Well, perhaps I do have his military bearing. I was once on the front lines of the Alliance Wars, you know.”

Rusty nearly fell over laughing. “For ten whole minutes, Goldie. And only because one of the Separatist soldiers thought you were on their side and shoved a gun in your hand.”

Cedric sniffed. “I did shoot it, didn't I?” 

“Yeah, you did.” Rusty managed to right himself, but he was still snickering. “I think you hit a few birds. We had stuffed quail for dinner that night.”

Henry separated them. “All right, you two. Enough with the music hall comedy routine.” He looked over his shoulder at Leia. “Yeah, I think we're ready. Everyone know what they have to do?”

“We meet you at Palace.” Cassian pulled a tall, shining brass helmet over his straight dark hair. “We will be taking carriage. We're covering Ball for Mr. Rex at Evening Star paper.”

“That's right.” Jyn patted her tripod in a corner. “Vader doesn't suspect us of anything other than writing unflattering newspaper stories. We can go as ourselves.”

“We'll see you there.” Ahsoka hugged Luke. “Skyguy would be so proud of you. Both of you. I wish you could have known him like I knew him. He used to be so funny and full of life! We must have driven Ben Kenton crazy with our antics. Maybe after all this is over, I can tell you more about them at the parlor in Nabarrie Palace.”

“I'd love that.” He took Ahsoka's hand. “When Leia and I are king and queen, I want to make you and Henry advisers. You've both been such a great help to us.”

“I don't know about Solo, but I'm fine where I am. I'm a reporter, Luke. It's what I do.” She took his arm. “I know your young man is busy with the Death Star II and all, so would a king-to-be mind it if a humble reporter was his escort for the ball?”

“I don't see a humble reporter.” Luke bowed and took her arm. “I see Cinderella.” They followed the others to the carriages that would take them to the Lothal docks, Ahsoka regaling them with stories of hers and Anakin's adventures all the way there.


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the night of the big Diamond Jubilee Gala Ball and coronation. All of Naboo's finest have come to see Palpatine crowned king...and oh yeah, the League of the Crimson Hawk are around, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this was so late. Lots of distractions last week, including the 4th of July holiday. I'm hoping to at least get closer to finishing this before I go on vacation next Saturday.

The ballroom at Nabarrie Palace was the grandest such chamber in all of Naboo, dwarfed only by the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. It was easily as large as ten of Mon Mothma's ballroom. Half-dressed cupids with pursed lips aimed heart-shaped arrows at unsuspecting lovers in loose tunics and togas. Gods and goddesses frolicked among a blue background and sparkling crystal chandeliers. Gold leaf twined around the creamy walls, its metallic ivy and roses almost glowing in the twilight.

The Diamond Jubilee Gala Ball was the major event of the social season in Naboo. Every year, it had a different theme. Luke was grateful that this year, the theme was illusion. Everyone was in the most elaborate costumes money could by. He saw a butterfly with rainbow wings and a prince in a crown and suit with gold braid as he and the others ascended the wide, flowing marble staircase.

A man in orange and white livery met them at the door. “General Hux! It's been weeks since we last saw you! I'm surprised you came to the ball. Prime Minister Palpatine was very insistent that you remain in Endor to keep an eye on the natives there. We heard rumors about an uprising.”

Cedric snorted. “With me in charge? Of course there was no uprising!” He waved a handkerchief at the group behind him. “Please introduce my good friends here as the American ranch owner Mr. Ryan Deckard, his wife Marie, her brother Jack, and Mr. Deckard's bodyguard and manservant.”

“Weelll there, son, nice to meet ya!” Henry shook the poor fellow's hand until he was bouncing on the midnight blue carpet. His booming attempt at a Texas accent shook the chandeliers. “Quite a set-up ya got here, quite a set-up! Don't got nothin' like it at my ranch at Abilene.” 

Leia coughed and took Henry's hand. “Dearest,” she said in her own best attempt at a western voice, “I don't think the poor fellow wants to be shaken off the stairs. Why don't we go and join that lovely little party in that room they have over there.”

“Yeah, darlin'.” He set the poor man upright, shaking him out like he was a rag doll. “Sorry son, just got excited.” 

“That's...quite all right.” The man turned to announce their arrival to the assembled guests as Charles, the trio, and Cedric made their way through the crowds. 

“Hold it!” Luke barely had time to turn around before a white light flashed in his face. He waved the smoke out of his face as Jyn's big grin emerged from under the black fabric. “That'll be in this week's morning edition of The Daily Star.”

“Si.” Cassian whipped out a pencil and paper. “Tell me all about yourself, Mr...”

“Ryan Deckard, son. Just in town to visit a friend. Didn't expect a reception like this, huh boy?” He slapped Luke on the back, nearly knocking him to the ground. 

“Henry,” Luke whispered, “please!” 

“Sorry, Junior.” Henry almost lifted him bodily off the ground. “I got excited.” He leaned over Cassian. “You and Jyn scope the layout. I'm going to send Charlie to get Rusty and our 'secret weapon.' Wedge and his boys should be here by now. The Rogue towed the Death Star.”

Leia nodded. “So that's why you leaped for that shipping job from Palpatine at the Regatta.”

“Of course, sweetheart. It was all part of my plan.” His arm snaked around her. “Of course, the money was nice, too...”

His lover rolled her eyes. “Henry...”

“I'm kidding.” Even as he gave Leia a kiss on her nose, the musicians started up an elegant Strauss waltz. Henry bowed gallantly before her. “I'd be honored if Her Grace would have this dance with me.”

Leia curtsied. “I would love nothing more.”

Henry wasn't much of a dancer. He stepped on Leia's toes twice and kept watching his feet. She didn't care. She put her head on his shoulder, enjoying the feeling of his strong hands on her satin-covered waist. It almost didn't matter that they were here under assumed names, that they weren't really married ranchers, that they could be arrested or killed if Palpatine and Vader found out who they were. She was here, and her lover was in her arms, and there was beautiful music and the beginnings of silvery moonlight, and that was all she cared about.

As they swirled around the dance floor, she saw others fly by, just as caught up in the music. Jyn and Cassian somehow managed to waltz while lugging a heavy camera bag. Their eyes were more interested in each other than in the people the bag was knocking over. Luke and Wedge, the latter sporting a black and gray Death Star II uniform, waltzed in a corner, away from prying eyes. Ahsoka danced with a handsome gentleman dressed as a musketeer, complete with dashing feather in his wide-brimmed velvet hat and shoulder-length ringlets. A delighted Rusty grabbed hold of Cedric and swung him around the room, ignoring his squawking and complaints about this being undignified. 

Charles shook his head at their antics. As Henry swirled by, he gave him a curt nod. Charles nodded back and headed towards the entrances to the garden. He and Rusty were going to organize the “secret weapon” and make sure they arrived in time to stop Palpatine from being crowned.

As the song closed and another began, Leia caught sight of a familiar face standing in another corner, near the refreshment tables. “Henry,” she whispered, “he's here.”

Henry's eyes were closed. His chin rested dreamily on the top of her head. “Uh-huh.”

“Henry!” She danced him closer to the corner. “I think Boba Fettson's here.”

“Him?” Henry made a face. “He dances worse than I do.”

Leia finally turned him around to where Fettson stood, sipping a cup of lemonade. “There he is! He's impossible to miss. He didn't even bother with the costume.” 

“Why does he need a costume? He's strange enough as it is.” Henry smirked and danced Leia behind him, tapping him on the shoulder. “Well, hello there, stranger.”

If Fettson hadn't been carrying a pistol almost longer than she was, his quick turn and astonished expression would have been worthy of a chuckle. “Solo. How the hell did you and your white bitch get in here?”

“First of all, don't insult my lady,” Henry began in his Texas drawl. “Second, why, I could ask you the same question, son. You ain't exactly the cream of the crop. More like the crumbs.”

“I'm keeping rabble like you and Miss Feathers over there out.” He jabbed his gun at Henry's midsection. “Vader's still got a hefty reward out for both of you, and your blond friend, too.” He looked over Henry's shoulder. “Where's the Wookie native? I've never seen you without your buddy skulking around.”

“He's busy.” Henry whipped out one of his brass guns, pointing it at Fettson's back. “You're coming with us. We're going to have a little chat outside.”

Leia removed one of her own from under the layers of feathers. “Don't try to run. You're surrounded. Our people are all over the ballroom.”

“But they're not with you, are they?” Fettson hit Henry in the chin as hard as he could. He crashed into a table, just as the music ended. 

Leia rushed to his side. “Good thing everyone's too busy applauding the musicians to see this.” She pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed at his split lip. “Now you really look like a cowboy. We can say this is part of the costume.”

“Funny, Your Worship.” He rubbed the back of his battered head. “I wouldn't be surprised if he ran off to tell Vader we're here. We'd better start rounding up the others.”

As she helped Henry to his feet, two soldiers in the orange and white Naboo uniforms with the gold trim alighted the grand staircase, carrying horns nearly the length of their bodies. The sound that blasted from the instruments more closely resembled the horns used to call goats in the Aldra Mountains than anything musical. 

The butler who announced them stood between them. He was still holding his ears, his eyes rolled skyward, when he announced in a slightly strangled voice “The crowning of King Samuel Palpatine of Naboo is about to begin!”

“That's our cue.” Henry pushed his way through the crowd. “Come on, Your Grace.” He smirked, then said in his silly Texas accent, “We're gonna blow this lil' shindig wide-open, darlin'.”

Henry found Luke at the refreshment table, sipping punch. “I hope that stuff ain't spiked, kid. We're going to need you at full power to take down Vader.”

“No, it's not spiked. At least, this bowl isn't.” He nodded at two silver pitchers on the other end of the table. “I did see a man pour a whole flask of whiskey into the carafe on the right. I'd stick to the punch, if I were you.” He put his cup aside. “Did you send Charles to get our...secret weapon?”

“Yeah. Rusty went with him.” Henry rolled his eyes. “I don't know why, but Charlie's kinda got fond of those fluffballs.”

Leia chuckled. “You're still mad they were able to string you on that pole.”

“Yeah, well,” Henry grumbled, grabbing her hand, “let's get going, before Vader shows up and starts choking everyone.”

Cedric was too busy being the center of attention to notice their departure. Everyone treated him like the dignified, intelligent person he was, not just a mere servant or lackey. He was surprised no one recognized him. Lady Tano and her two proteges even took his photograph and interviewed him about his opinions on Palpatine and what it meant for Naboo. He was half-way through his speech on what he would do if he could run the country when the Spanish man shushed him.

“I am sorry, Senor...Hux,” the wiry fellow in the bright blue and red uniform insisted. “but the show, sh is about to begin.”

Miss Erso snapped a magnificent shot of the procession as they strode purposefully down the dark blue carpet. Palpatine's loose ermine and red and black velvet cape and his black and silver uniform with it's blood-red sash and rows and rows of shining medals only served to make him look even more like a snake in ill-fitting skin. He carried his cane in one hand and a jeweled golden sceptor in the other. His neck and fingers were dripping with jeweled medallions and rings with gems the size of goose eggs. Vader was by his side, dour and glowering in his mask and black armor. They were surrounded by men in red and black royal bodyguard uniforms who carried sharp pikes. 

The Bishop of Naboo stood at the end in his red and purple robes, ready to give the tradition speech that had crowned each member of the Amidala family as the sole rulers of Naboo...until the Queen and her consort the Baron Skywalker were murdered during the invasion of Naboo, and the rest of her family fled. Cedric had been with Rusty in Alderaan at the time, working for Duke Bail Organa. Bail had done as much as he could to bring in refugees, especially children. Cedric wished he could remember more about that tumultuous time, but he had never had much of a memory. Rusty was constantly reminding him about this event and that face he'd forgotten.

As the Bishop droned on, Cedric's attention was captured by three figures hurrying along the upstairs halls that ringed the ballroom. Flashes of red, gold, and white occasionally blurred into the indigo shadows. A green light sizzled into his vision on the edge of the third floor railing as the Bishop reached for the Crown of Naboo. The crown sat next to a tiara on a red velvet pillow that was there more as a formality than for actual use. Both were gold wound into the shape of river flowers and vines, with topaz and pearl centers and tiny emeralds and diamonds sparkling on the leaves.

“And he shall become King Samuel Palpatine the First of Naboo. Long live the king.” The Bishop was just about to place this bauble on the Prime Minister's silver mane...and Cedric was about to fall asleep standing up...when the lights in the chandelier flickered, then died.

As the crowd gasped and screamed, three figures swooped over their heads, swinging on the chandelier. The one in red let out a triumphant “YAHOOOOOOO!” as he grabbed the crown from the Bishop's hand. A smaller hand in a black glove snatched the scepter. The third, this one in gloves of white satin, took the tiara. 

“YOU!” Palpatine let out a screech as the trio landed safely on the musician's stage. “YOU! The Crimson Hawk!” He turned to Vader and his guards. “Get him! Finish him! Finish them all! I want the Royal Jewels!”

“Sorry Your Ancientness, but they're not yours.” Cedric had to remind himself that shaking one's fist in the air in triumph was considered very undignified, not to mention childish. Mr. Solo had handed the crown to Mr. Skywalker, placing it on his head. It could be none other but them. He then put the tiara on Duchess Organa's lovely dark hair. All three wore their red, gold, white, and black uniforms, with the goggles but without the hoods. “These are the real rulers, the son and daughter of Queen Padme Amidala and Baron Anakin Skywalker.”

Palpatine snorted. “That could hardly be true. Padme was pregnant when we...when Coruscant invaded Naboo, but the children died with her.”

“No, Palpatine.” Ahsoka stepped out of the shadows. “Padme lived. She fled with her daughter and gave her son to relatives. Sir Benjamin Kenton and Yoda and I wanted to keep them out of your hands.”

“She lies! They all lie! I'm the only ruler here!” He pulled one of the electrical sabers from under his ermine cloak, this one glowing a sickly shade of blood red. “Guards, eliminate these rebels and return my crown!” He turned to his pupil. “Vader, bring me your children!”

Vader bowed low before him. “Yes, Your Majesty.” He turned to the trio on the stage. “Son...Luke...” His voice softened when he came to Leia... “Daughter...I wanted a daughter. I was sure the baby was a girl...”

“You,” Leia growled, “are no father of mine. Bail Organa was more of a father than you ever could be!” 

“Leia!” Luke tried to keep her from lunging at their only remaining parent.

“I can handle Skyguy, Luke.” Jyn was helping Ahsoka into the pack for the electrical sabers. “You three get the jewels out of here.” They looked up in time to see ten of Palpatine's red robed guards running straight at them. “Go! Hurry! Find Charles and the secret weapons!”

“Right.” Henry grabbed Leia's hand and made for the nearest staircase. Luke lingered, his eyes still on Ahsoka and Vader.

The crowd watched as the older African woman and the half-mechanical man circled each other like lions about to attack. Vader drew his ruby red electrical saber. “Snips,” he snarled, “I should have known you were involved. You may not have betrayed the Jedi like the council claimed, but you would betray your own country.”

“You're the one who's betraying their country, Skyguy.” She swept her arms around the room, waving at the people in fine clothes screaming and gasping at their Jedi weapons. “Look around you! Do you know what you've done? Do you know what Palpatine's done? People are scared, Skyguy. They're terrified for their homes, their lives!”

“And the Jedi were any better?” Vader slashed at her. “What did they teach you, Snips? They refused to believe you when another Jedi framed you for murder and wouldn't allow me to become a true master or allow me on the Council. They were mired in the past, Snips. This is the future.”

“They were my friends! Rex's, too! Don't you remember, Skyguy?” Ahsoka parried another slash. “They taught me about friendship, and kindness, and following your heart. You and Ben, you taught me those things.” 

Luke stopped to watch, even as Henry and Leia made for the stairs. “I loved you like a brother, Anakin. Like a father. You and Ben were the closest things I ever had to fathers! What happened to you? What did you let Palpatine do?”

“I became so much wiser.” He finally lunged for her pack, first cutting off the tubes, then the metal covering, exposing wires. “It's clear you still haven't, Snips. I'm sorry, but...my master doesn't want any more rebels getting in his way. I must obey him.”

Ahsoka tried to hold him off, even with her sabers losing power. “No, Skyguy,” she said softly. “You're not like that. You're not like them.”

“Snips...” The hands were about to falter when Palpatine's screech rang out through the room.

“You ninny! Kill her!” Palpatine held up his own saber. “Or I'll do it myself!”

“No! I can fight my own battles.” Jyn's scream and Cassian's loud Spanish obscenities could be heard over the roar of the crowd as Vader slashed Ahsoka's side. The sabers fell from her hands, and she collapsed, clutching her wounds. Jyn and Cassian hurried to her. 

“I don't suppose you'd consider switching sides, Snips. You still have some truly marvelous skills.” Vader's malevolent presence and heavy breathing floated over her clouded vision. 

“Never.” Ahsoka winced as Jyn tore part of her fairy skirt and held it to her friend and mentor's side. “I'm not like you, Skyguy. I don't jump at the first hint of power someone throws in front of me.”

“You and Kenton were always foolish. You never know a good thing when it's in front of you.” He held the saber over her. “Say good-bye, pupil.”

“NOOOO!” Vader was about to deliver the killing blow when a green blade stopped him mid-swing. Luke clutched the new sword, his teeth gritted in determination. “Father, you killed one teacher I loved and your own half-brother and sister-in-law. I won't let you kill anyone else who means something to me!”

“Luke, get out of the way.” Vader's hissing sounded labored. “I have to get rid of this rebel scum.”

“She's your own pupil! Your friend!” He looked over his shoulder. “Jyn, you and Cassian get her to the hospital. I'll handle Vader.”

Jyn frowned as she and Cassian put their arms around Ahsoka, helping the wounded woman to her feet. “Right, mate. Come on, Miss Tano. We have to get you to a doctor, and fast.” 

Luke covered their exit, blocking Vader's vigorous swings. “Father, I won't let you do this.” 

“Son, I want you to come with me. My master wants you to be his apprentice.” His voice lowered. “I want you.”

“No, Father.” He finally lowered his blade. “I didn't want to fight you, but you were hurting Lady Tano. She's done nothing to you.”

“She's a rebel, and like all rebels, she needs to be destroyed.” Vader nodded as guards gathered around Luke. “My son is with the other rebels. Bring him with us.” 

Palpatine cackled. “He'll talk on the Death Star. He can tell us where his other friends are.”

Luke gazed into Palpatine's yellowish eyes through his green goggles. “You know I won't talk.”

“You won't have to.” The crowd gasped as Palpatine sent a purple bolt into the boy, knocking him to the ground. “I have other ways of making you talk.”

Vader easily gathered the unconscious youth into his arms as crowds screamed and gasped and pulled away in horror. “Bring him with us.” Palpatine's grin was more like the smile of a serpent about to feed. “He'll be...very useful for us.”


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leia and Henry try to out-race Hux and the Coruscant Army. But help is on it's way, in the unlike form of two different native clans...

“Junior!” Henry and Leia watched from the third story as Vader carried the boy up the majestic staircase. “Damn it, Vader has him!”

Leia pointed over his shoulder. “I think we have more things to worry about at the moment.” Coruscant army soldiers in stiff black and white uniforms were coming right at them. She raised an eyebrow as the Crimson Hawk turned his goggles upwards to the ceiling. “Henry, what are you doing?”

“Saving our hides.” His eyes were still focused upwards as the soldiers rushed at them from both sides. “Ok, Sweetheart, on my count. One, two...”

They leaped upwards just in time, grabbing a smaller chandelier over their heads. The soldiers skidded into each other before they could stop. The resulting crash bore a close resemblance to a carriage pile-up, with arms and legs wiggling in a messy hill. Henry landed behind them, nearly falling over onto the rest of the group. Leia landed with a perfect little somersault.

Henry rolled his eyes. “Show off.” 

She was about to point out that he was one to talk when she noticed another group of soldiers coming at them from behind him. “Look out!” She whipped out her sword, stopping two of them and slashing at a third's belt, making him stumble and showing off his rather adorable heart-print boxers. “Henry, get out of here. Get Charles, Rusty, and the secret weapons!”

“Charlie went to get them a while ago.” He shot at two more. “Sweetheart, I'm not leaving you.”

Leia shoved him along. “Just go! I'll meet you downstairs.”

He dashed off down the hall, leading the men away from Leia. “I got to give you guys credit,” he yelled. “You're persistent!” 

Leia lead another group down the stairs to the second floor. She dove into what appeared to be a bedroom. One tried to get her on the bed, but she kicked him in his sensitive parts. As he doubled over, another man pulled out a sword. She went head-to-head with him, then with another, until she was dueling with three at once! 

“I'm sorry, gentlemen.” She bowed before them. “but I can't fall for all of you. I'll let you do that.” Her hands were around the carpet under their feet before they could stop her. The moment it was yanked away, they toppled to the polished floor like bowling pins. The agile Duchess leaped over them and raced down the stairs.

Henry was having less luck. He was being chased by two squadrons at once and getting a little tired of the running around. It was about time for The Crimson Hawk to make his grand exit. “It's been fun, boys,” he chuckled as he climbed onto the railing, “but I've got other places to be, other people I need to rescue. See ya on the other side!” One man attempted to grab at his ankles, but Henry stomped on his hand before making a flying leap into the air.

His fingers just managed to catch hold of the crystal chandelier before gravity took hold. The soldiers tried to shoot at him, but he was swinging too fast. He wanted to swing to the other side, but it was too far, and he just couldn't get up the momentum. Sweaty fingers in leather gloves finally lost their grip on the crystal, leaving him plummeting to the ballroom floor.

All he saw for the next few moments was stars and piano keys. “Henry!” He was still seeing stars and ivory bars when a pair of slender arms in ruffled white silk wrapped around him. “What the hell were you thinking?”

Henry squinted up at the blurry face that glared through emerald green rings. “Huh? How many of there are you?”

“One.” The kiss he received from this vision in white only made his legs even more rubbery. “You dear, silly idiot.” That kiss was followed by a smack across the back of his head. “What were you thinking? It's one thing when we were all doing it together, but landing in the piano? You could have gotten hurt!”

“I did...huh?” Henry was surrounded by wooden splinters, metal wires, and small bars of ebony and ivory. “Oh.” 

“Mr. Crimson Hawk!” Cedric hurried over. “That was quite a fall you too, sir.” 

Henry winced as Leia and the secretary helped him out of the broken wood. “Oh, I always come into a room like that.”

“We have to get you out of here, before Vader's boys figure out what's going on.” Leia squeezed his sore hip. “The Death Star is about to take off. Anyone who had an invitation has already gone there, or to the windows to watch them leave if they didn't.” 

“Stop right there, Solo.” Yet another squadron lined the wide staircase like well-armed ants. Hux lead them, dressed in a similar black and white uniform that was too tight and too short in the trousers, revealing a few inches of pale, hairy leg. “You're not getting away this time!” One of his men shoved Cedric forward. “This impostor is under arrest for impersonating an officer, rather badly, I may add, and being an accessory to criminal acts.”

“I am not impersonating you badly! Ow!” Cedric whined as Hux yanked off his red wig.

“Yeah,” Henry sneered. “He looks a lot better than you do.”

“Quiet, Solo.” The remaining guests gasped as Hux's men surrounded them. “I'm going to execute you right here, in front of all these witnesses! His Majesty King Palpatine might even make me a prince. Especially if I can bring his crown jewels back.” His blue eyes softened as they swung to Leia. “You have one last chance, Your Grace. Marry me, and I might consider letting these two renegades go. Otherwise, you die with them.”

Leia pulled up her goggles, giving Hux the full brunt of her angry glare. She took Henry's arm, partially to keep him from collapsing. “I wouldn't marry you if you were the last man in Naboo!” She continued, more loudly, so everyone could hear. “I'm the White Swan, a member of the League of the Crimson Hawk! I will never, never bow down to a sycophant like you!”

Hux merely sighed. “Very well.” He swished to the bandstand, managing to sashay even without his ever-present cape. “Men, search them for the jewels.” Two of the white-clad guards ran their hands all over Han and Leia. They confiscated both their guns and Leia's sword, but nothing else. 

Leia slapped one hand when it wandered into her bosom. “Excuse me, but that's a private place!”

“I'm tellin' ya, we don't have 'em.” Henry smirked. “An' we're not tellin' you where they are, either.”

“Too bad.” He waved his hand at another squadron. “I want you to turn this whole palace upside-down. Don't rest until the Crown Jewels are safely in my hands.” 

As he spoke, two of his men bound Henry and Leia together tightly with gold silk rope from one of the curtains in the parlor just off the ballroom as Hux's men gathered the remaining audience. Another bound a protesting Cedric to one of the musicians' chairs on the stage. “Sorry I got you into this mess, Sweetheart.” The taller man squeezed her hand. “I love you.” 

His beloved White Swan gave him a small smile. “I know.” 

“Now, Crimson Hawk, I'll get what I've wanted from the beginning.” Hux reached for his goggles. “Who is the man behind the mask?” He turned to the remaining crowd, hanging on his every word. “We've all wondered what manner of criminal has been stealing from the nobles and the gentry. Who would be so bold as to release all the Wookie natives from the Royal Regatta and the Death Star Airship? What manner of man would be able to invent the machines that allow them to escape every time?” 

“Sir?” One of his men was shaking his arm. “I hear squeaking.”

“Not now, Officer!” Hux pushed him away. “I'm about to reveal the Crimson Hawk to the entire audience! What could be more important than that?”

The officer pointed at the railings. “Uh...them.”

And that was when he heard the heart-stopping, ear-pounding roar of the Wookie natives...and the chatter of a smaller breed of savage. Suddenly, brown blurs dropped from the railings, smashed through the windows, and climbed out of dumbwaiters. Fluffballs and massive giants pushed through guests and leaped over tables. 

Henry's cheer was long and loud. “Looks like our secret weapon has arrived!”

Hux was screaming at the top of his lungs. “Well, don't just stand there! Stop them!” He grabbed one man with his good hand. “Oh no. You and I still have to get rid of the meddlesome Crimson Hawk.”

Henry smirked. “Thought you forgot us.”

“I won't.” Hux raised his gun in his left hand. “But history will only remember you as part of a failed rebellion, just another statistic.” His men aimed right for their hearts on either side. “Say good-bye, Crimson Hawk.” 

Henry clutched Leia's hand and stared right into Hux's eyes, ready to face death head-on. He waited, eyes shut tightly...but all he heard was a klonk and shattering china. When his eyes opened, Hux was on the ground, wailing over the bump on his head. Charles stood over him. Two Wookie natives in white waiter's jackets wrestled the soldiers to the floor. 

“Nice work, Chewie.” Henry grinned as Leia's little friend Wicket cut through the rope with a flint knife. “You too, shorty.”

“Here ye go, mate.” Charles tossed Henry his gun and Leia her sword. “Now, let's go stop that Death Star, before they take off with the real King of Naboo.”

Even as Charles spoke, the chandelier rattled and the windows shook. A green light blasted through the oncoming twilight, sizzling the grass below it. “Damn! Damn it!” Henry, Charles, Wicket, and Leia watched through the wide windows as the Death Star II launched into the sky, finally melding into the purple and orange horizon. “They got the kid!”

Leia pulled a box wound with blue bubbling wires and wooden buttons out of her pocket. “Hello? Langdon?”

“Your Grace?” The former mayor's voice was tinny but recognizable. “From the sound of your voice and all the noise, I'm going to guess the party isn't going well.”

“No, it isn't.” Leia moved away from the party as the guards started shooting at the Wookies, who ducked their bullets and started throwing soldiers and guests into tables. “Langdon, tell Wedge Vader and Palpatine escaped...and they have Luke. I'm afraid to ask what they're going to try on him.”

Langdon echoed Henry's sentiment. “Damn it! Don't worry, Your Grace. We'll rescue the kid. Antilles won't forgive us if we don't. He's really crazy about him.”

“Just be careful. We have everything control down here. Watch out for the Admiral and Hera and her crew in the water.” She just noticed three men coming at her in time to shoot down one and dodge another. “Langdon, I have to go. This ball's getting a little crowded. We have to get the jewels to the Ghost.”

“Good luck, Your Grace,” Langdon said as he signed off. Leia got the box in her pocket as soon as the lights stopped bubbling. 

Henry had just punched out three men when Leia rejoined them. “Ready to find those jewels?”

“They're not hard to find.” Leia smirked. “In fact, I hid them in plain sight.”

“Well then, let's move things along.” Charles had Wicket under one arm, squirming away. “Before Hux calls for reinforcements.”

Henry nodded. “Right.” The three ducked upstairs, leaving the Wookies and Ewoks to fling rocks and food, throw spears and punches, and generally cause as much chaos as possible.


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Luke deals with Vader and Palpatine, we meet Langdon's crew and see Wedge and the members of the League of the Crimson Hawk take out the Death Star's guns and shields.

Luke awoke in a thick leather chair on the bridge. As his eyes focused, he saw the malevolent visage of his father driving the main wheel, occasionally hissing at a button. The cathedral windows were surrounded by lavender clouds melting into the rapidly darkening evening sky.

“Good evening, my young apprentice.” Palpatine's ermine cloak hung off one shoulder, the bottom hems dirty and bedraggled from being dragged across a muddy lawn. He'd lost his red sash and three of his medals fleeing the ball, making him look even more like an ancient sorcerer cackling over a cauldron of foul-smelling brew. 

“What...what happened?” Luke gazed steadily into Palpatine's yellowish orbs. “Where's Henry and Leia? What have you done with them?”

Vader pushed a button, placing the Death Star II on auto pilot. “We received word from General Brendol Hux at Nabarrie Palace that Captain Solo and Duchess Organa have been captured, and are awaiting execution. There's no hope for either of them now.”

“Nor for you.” Luke's voice was steady. “Soon I'll be dead, and you with me.”

“You mean the attack of your little band of rebels?” Even Palpatine's laughter resembled the cackle of a fairy-tale witch. “The Coruscant Navy is quite prepared for them. And what they don't deal with, the Death Star itself can handle.” He leaned into a long brass tube attached to the side of the wall. “Fire at will, Commander Jerrod.” 

Luke looked on in horror as two of the boats following them on the Calamari River were blown to splinters by a thin green light. A third barely missed the Ghost, which managed to dodge the light beam. 

“I'm afraid your band was fed older information.” Palpatine's sharp smile was that of a shark about to devour its pray. “This vehicle is quite operational, and has been for weeks. In fact, we're on our way to Aldra to eliminate the rest of their capitol city, and perhaps lay waste to a few of their other major ports as well. What a pity such a cataclysm should happen to one of the loveliest countries in the Alliance.” His gold eyes narrowed. “Grand Duke Organa should never have taken sides. This will prove once and for all what happens to those who defy the Coruscant Empire.”

Luke watched the carnage as the Ghost and Maz Kantana's pirates traded shells with the Coruscant Navy. They were hopelessly outnumbered. The navy had put another boat into the water before Luke finally turned to them. “No,” he said, his voice now a whisper. “I'm not a toady like my father.”

“I'm no sniveling wastrel, like that idiot Hux at Nabarrie Castle.” Vader clenched his fists. “I'm my own man, not a slave!”

“Yes you are, Father. You're a slave to” Luke nodded his head in Palpatine's direction “him.”

“Never!” His hissing became more pronounced. “I am a pupil!”

“That's right, my young apprentice. You were greatly mistaken.” Palpatine flounced over to a table near the bubbling generator, where Luke's electrical saber lay. “I can feel your fear. Release your anger! Take your place by my father's side! Eliminate me once and for all. I know you want to!”

Luke's eyes were closed. Sweat poured down his face. He knew Palpatine was lying about Leia, at least. He could feel her. If he could get rid of this madman, take him down, his father would come home. He could get rid of these phantom menaces, once and for all.

He faltered only a moment, looking out at the carnage on the water, before the pack and saber flew into his hand. The youth slipped it on and flipped the switch before Vader had the chance to let out another raspy breath. The mechanical man lunged for his son just in time to stop him from taking Palpatine's ashen head off all together.

Palpatine's cackle reverberated through the halls of the Death Star II, to the point where several officers had to check the rooms to make sure they hadn't picked up any spell-casting witches somewhere.

~*~*~*~*~*~

“Did you see that?” Langdon Croydon's own dark eyes were wide with shock as he watched a green light shoot another ship out of the water. “That blast came from the Death Star! That thing's operational!”

“We saw it.” Admiral Ackbar's voice croaked from his own ship, the Ancient Mariner. Langdon was glad he'd thought to give him an extra talking box from the Falcon, even if the 80-year-old war veteran kept holding the thing like it would bite him. “I'm withdrawing all craft from the water, including Captain Syndulla's. We can't deal with fire power of that magnitude.”

“Captain Antilles is already on-board the Death Star, setting up the bombs to take out the shields.” Langdon turned the Falcon a hard right. “We're already on our way. You've got to give us more time!”

One of the Admiral's aides could be heard frantically behind him. “Admiral, three of the Coruscant ships have boxed us in. We can't get back to the harbor!”

The Admiral's croak sounded more desperate. “It's a trap!”

Langdon nodded at his co-hort, a small man from the mountain kingdom of Sullustia with a hang-dog face and large liquid brown eyes. “Niem, get Laurence and our boys to the guns. We'll show that Navy a thing or two. And we might even take a few of them along with us!”

Niem let out a fearfulstream of what sounded to most people like gibberish. Langdon, who spent some time among the Sullustians at their casino in the southern valleys, could translate well enough. “Don't worry, buddy, my friends will have that shield down in time!”

His friend just continued with his gibberish, even as he turned his attention to the nearest canon. “Or this will be the shorted offensive of all time,” Lando continued under his breath.

~*~*~*~*~*~

On board the Death Star, two baby-blue eyes peered around a corner. “All clear, boys!” Tycho Celchu emerged into the main control room first. “They must have all gone to man the cannons.”

“I wish I was out there with them.” Derek “Hobbie” Kilivan followed, his dark eyes glittering under his gray Coruscant Airship Officer's cap. “I'd rather be shooting something than sneaking around in here. We're going to get arrested again.”

“You only get arrested if you get caught.” Wes Janson, clad in a tight black gunner's uniform, tossed a few bright balls into the air. “I got these off Sabine Wren, that cute maid at Chalindria Court, a few weeks ago. She says they make colored smoke when they're dropped or thrown. Been dying to try them.”

“Ain't she gorgeous?” Gavin Darklighter's grin nearly matched that of his cousin Biggs, who had died trying to defend the Falcon and Rogue from the first Death Star. “Too bad she's hung up on Ezra Bridger. He's a nice kid, but I kind of wish she'd have second thoughts.”

Corran Horn shrugged. “I'm just hoping those crew members we left tied up in the ship yard before the Rogue delivered the Death Star to the Palace don't get loose and tell on us.”

“Shhh!” Wedge waved them all down. The domed generators, with their fizzy blue liquid and sizzling tubes, took up almost the entire room. There was barely enough space for him, the guys, and the three men looking over the room.

“Officers?” The only officer in room, a small, weasel-like little man, stared right into Wedge's eyes. “Haven't I seen you before?”

Wedge tried to look official. “No, Officer...” He peered quickly at the man's label “...Jerrod” He squared his shoulders and said in his stuffiest British accent, the one that made him sound like Cedric, “my men and I are here on our usual inspection tours of this facility.”

“Baron Vader didn't say anything about an inspection before we took off.” Jerrod started for the door. “I'll have to clear it with him.”

Wedge nodded quickly at Wes, who flung open the windows in the back. “Oh no, the machines are boiling over! Look at all this smoke!” He smashed every ball he held in his hands on the floor, creating a cacophony of rainbow fumes. 

“Oh dear.” Wedge peered out the windows. “I do believe, gentleman, that in our haste, we knocked Officer Jerrod and his men into the Calamari River.”

Wes looked out with him. “Aw, you mean they didn't land on a rock or something?”

Tycho wrinkled his nose. “You're bloodthirsty today. We wanted to get rid of the jerks, not impale them. See? The Admiral already fished them out.” Indeed, they could see the men of the Ancient Mariner, in their orange Naboo Navy uniforms, tugging the trio of Coruscant soldiers into the boat with a fisherman's net.

“That takes care of them.” Wedge pulled a small metal ball, this one a gunmetal gray, out of his pocket. “Let's set up these bombs and get out of here. I don't want to be hanging around this place when Calarissian shows up with the Falcon and blows it out of the sky.”

Wes nodded as he and Hobbie attached more explosive balls to the generators. “Yeah. I'd like to live to make jokes another day.”

“Not to mention,” Tycho added, “the moment they hear the blast, they'll be looking for us.”

Wedge stepped back as Corran attached the last bomb. “Good work, boys. Now, let's go find the Rogue and get the hell out of here!” 

As he followed the others out the door, a tinny voice squawked in his back pocket. “Hello?”

“Hey, kid.” Langdon Croydon's honey-dripping voice was a lot more upset than usual. “Just got a call from the White Swan. Her Grace told me they have the jewels, but Vader snatched Luke and took him on the Death Star.”

Wedge's angry bellow echoed down the hall. “What!? If that walking tin can has hurt him in any way...”

“The White Swan wasn't sure what Vader had planned, but it didn't sound good.” A sizzling blast over the box nearly deafened Wedge. “We're in a tight spot with the Death Trap here, Rogue Five. I'm going to have to let you go. Over and out.”

“Over and out.” Wedge turned to the other men, all of whom were hovering hopefully over his shoulder. “Looks like we have a rescue mission, boys.”

“All right!” Wes cheered long and loud. “We get to be heroes!”

Wedge whipped out his own light gun, a look of grim determination on his face. “Let's go, Rogue League. The true King of Naboo needs our services.” He closed his eyes, then added under his breath as the others charged down the hallway, “and I need him.”


	30. Chapter 30

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Leia reveals where she hid the jewels, her brother continues his duel with Vader, and Langdon Croydon prepares to knock the Death Star out of the sky.

“So,” Henry started as Leia dragged her, Charles, and Wicket to the second floor landing, “where did you stash the Crown Jewels?”

“Why, with Mother, of course.” The duchess came to a screeching halt by a long row of portraits, each depicting the Amidala royal family. The most recent painting showed a beautiful young woman in a rich crimson and gold court gown with puffed sleeves and a long train of azure silk under the same ermine cape Palpatine had worn earlier. The tiara Leia stole was nestled in her flowing brown curls. A diamond necklace with a topaz pendent the size of a goose egg rested on her creamy bosom. “Mother, meet Henry, Charles, and Wicket. Boys, meet my birth mother, Queen Padme Anastasia Marie Amidala Nabarrie.”

Henry admired the picture, his eyes roving over the Queen's elaborate outfit and serene expression through her heavy white and red makeup. “I can see where both of you got your good looks.” He gave her a grin as she lifted the portrait and set it on the ground. “She kind of almost looks more like Luke, though. She seems sorta peaceful. You never look that calm, at least not since I've known you.” 

“Uncle Bail always said I took after Mother in looks, but I got Father's temperament.” Slender fingers in white silk gloves pressed a piece of golden leaf trim in the wall. A panel opened, revealing a cubbyhole...one wide enough to hold a tiara, crown, and scepter.

Wicket chattered excitedly. He'd never seen such fancy baubles before! Charles and Henry exchanged looks of surprise. “How did you know about this?” Henry asked, scratching the back of his head.

“Ahsoka told me weeks ago, when we were on our way to Lothal to see Luke in the hospital.” Leia dropped the jewelry in a velvet purse. “She and Mother were good friends. Evidently, the two of them, Sir Kenton, Father, and their army squadrons found most of the hiding places and secret passages in the Palace during the Alliance Wars. She said they came in handy for stashing loot and quick get-aways.”

Charles nodded. “That makes sense. Wouldn't be surprised if they built a few of them. I worked with some Alliance armies before I ended up being sold off as slave material. They could be very inventive, those soldiers. Too bad the grunts they have now ain't nothin' like them.” 

“Let's get out of here and get to the Aurora Belle, before Vader does further damage to Luke...or worse, talks him into joining Palpatine.” As the White Swan slung the purse over her shoulder, she took Henry's hand. “There's just one thing I want to know. How long have you boys known about Luke being the true king?”

“Three years ago.” Henry shrugged. “He and Kenton originally hired Charles – Chewbacca is his native name - and me to take them to the mainland. They were already planning on trying to put Luke back on the throne and stop Vader and Palpatine from causin' more trouble in Naboo. I didn't want anything to do with it at first...until a week after I dropped them at Dantoonie Village. We lost our shipment when Vader and the Naboo Navy sank the Falcon. One of Vader's boys put that bullet in my knee to keep me from escaping. Good thing Chewie was able to carry me to a lifeboat.”

Charles put an arm around his closest friend. “Kenton used what money he had left, along with our money from a previous shipment, to pay for the surgery on Henry's knee and to raise and begin repairs on the poor Falcon. The remaining money was put into Solo Shipping.”

“Ben wanted Luke on the throne and the Jedi back in power. Luke wanted to avenge his aunt and uncle and parents, whom we thought had been killed by Vader and his boys.” The famous smirk returned, in full leering splendor. “The answer was to keep right on doing what I'd always done...but legitimately. Solo Shipping wasn't just a cover for our Crimson Hawk activities. It gave us the low down on exactly when expensive goods would be moving through the Alliance. I figured we'd make enough money through both to eventually pay off Huttman and get out of town after the kid was on the throne.” 

“What about this?” Leia reached into her blouse, pulling out a gold pendant. “You dropped it the night of Mon Mothma's party.”

“You have that? I wondered what happened to it.” Henry ran a finger down the knotted leather cord that held the golden hawk. “Luke insisted that every member of the League of the Crimson Hawk should wear something that would identify us to each other that no one else knew about. Wedge and his buddies all have one. Charlie and Rusty do, too, and Kenton did.” Charles pulled out his gold hawk pendant. The gleaming bird looked tiny on Charles' mountainous breast. 

“This is yours.” Leia's small fingers started to untie the cord. “I've been wanting to give it back, but I haven't had the time.” 

“Keep it.” Henry's gloved fingers wrapped around hers. “It looks better on you, and as a member of the League of the Crimson Hawk, you should have one.” 

They were about to lean in for a kiss when Cedric tapped his arm. “Captain, I'm afraid this isn't the time for that. We have a few problems.”

Leia winced as she was poked in the side by a long dueling sword. Hux, his eyes wild and his fine suit covered in the remains of the refreshment table, pointed his uniform dueling sword at her back. Boba Fettson grabbed her gun and Henry's.“I knew it! I knew if we followed you, we'd find the Crown Jewels. Palpatine will be most pleased.”

“He won't if you never get to him.” She dove right at him, swinging her weapon with all the finesse of a veteran swordsman. “Henry, go! Take the jewels!”

She tossed the velvet bag to Henry, who tossed them to Cedric, who nearly dropped them but managed to get them to Charles at the last second. “Come on, mates! This party's getting too hot for us!” The towering Wookie native swung Wicket onto his shoulders, letting him jab at soldier's heads and necks with his spear as they rushed out.

Leia glared at the ginger-haired general as they found themselves with swords crossed, eye to eye. Boba Fettson held his gun on Henry's chest. “Forget it, Hux. I'm still not going to become your bride. Now tell your tame bounty hunter to drop that gun, before this winds up in the empty spot in your chest where your heart should be.”

Hux sneered. “Can't blame a man for trying.” He pushed her off, trying to disarm her. Henry watched as they clashed, their swords and legs going so fast, they were a blur in the brightly painted hall.

The general may have been trained at the finest military academy in the Alliance, but Leia was the better fighter. She was mad as a hornet, her eyes flashing like burning stars. The angry duchess finally managed to shove him over a footstool that lay along the landing. The second he lost his sword, it flew into her small grasp. 

“Fettson will release Henry Solo,” she snarled, “and then our people will lock you two in the dungeons bellow this castle until the Queen and King of Naboo decide your fate.” Chief Chirpa and six of his Ewoks chattered up behind her, their spears and knives raised.

Boba Fettson was having none of this. “You can keep this skinny little sap.” He took off down the hall. “I have other jobs in other kingdoms I could be doing.” 

“Not this time!” He tugged the shoulder of one of the Ewoks. “Can I borrow this?” The little warrior turned over his knife and bola, even though he didn't quite understand what Henry had in mind.

Henry rushed after him. He swung the bola around as well as he could, getting it around Fettson's feet just as he made it to the ballroom stairs. They brought him and his green armor clattering to the ground. He used the knife to cut a tapestry, which tangled Fettson before he could escape. The Ewoks and several of the former dancers from Jenkins' Palace rolled him up like a cigar, then came upstairs and did the same to Hux.

Cedric and Rusty brought several Ewoks upstairs as Henry rushed to Leia, kissing her as hard as he could. “You were amazing, Sweetheart. I couldn't be prouder of my Queen.”

“Thank you.” Leia kissed him hard down his neck and chest. “There was no way I was going to rule a kingdom without my scoundrel.”

“Hey you two.” Rusty smirked knowingly as the Ewoks oohed and ahhed. “Not that this isn't better than a romance novel, but we really have to get going.”

Cedric nodded. “Mr. Bacca told me that the Aurora Belle is ready to depart. We're just awaiting the two of you, Rusty, and me.”

Leia nodded, frowning as she pulled away from Henry. “I can feel Luke. He's even angrier than I was, moments ago. Vader must have gotten his dander up over something.”

Henry took her hand as they walked out, dodging Ewoks jabbing at soldiers. “Let's go save your brother from himself again.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sabers sizzled and crashed as Luke and Vader fought all around the bridge. Vader was starting to think the boy was much better at fighting than previously believed. He'd gained a great deal of confidence in the weeks since they last confronted each other. 

He finally pulled away as the boy leaped onto the upper deck by the captain's chair. “Your thoughts betray you, Father,” he insisted. “I can feel the good in you. The conflict.”

Vader's hiss was more pronounced. “There is no conflict.” 

“You couldn't bring yourself to kill me before, at Bespin or on the first Death Star. You won't do it now.” Luke tugged at his pack, switching off his saber. He pulled into the darkness, trying to stay away from Vader's saber and his maniacally cackling teacher. “I will not fight you. I can't fight family.”

“Family.” Vader slowly sauntered up the stairs, moving closer to the dark corner where Luke hid himself. “Your mother thought she could bring me back. She, Kenton, and that cranky old fool Yoda tried to hide you from me. They failed. You will fail.” He pressed closer. “With the dark side, you can save your guardian, your lover...” There was a knowing bubble in his voice as he ground out, “your sister. Yes. Your feelings have now betrayed her, too. I should have known Padme would trust her daughter with Bail Organa. He was her dear friend for years.” The red blade edged closer to Luke, giving a coppery glow to his golden hair. “If you will not turn to the dark side, perhaps she will.”

“NEVER!!” Luke leaped from the shadows, landing nearly on Vader. It took all the mechanical man's skill to roll away from the distraught youth. He was seriously starting to regret having even so much as mentioned the Duchess Organa. The boy flung himself into the battle, swinging harder and harder with every slash. They overturned chairs and made splinters of an easel holding the plans to invade Alderaan. 

Vader couldn't hold him off much longer. Luke threw everything he had into the sword, parrying and thrusting with a fury more commonly seen in typhoons. A final series of slashes brought Vader to his knees. With an angry scream, Luke swung his saber against Vader's hand, hacking it off with one blow.

“Good, good.” Palpatine was grinning ear to ear, his eyes glistening with unbridled delight. “Now, eliminate him, and you can take your father's place at my side.”

That woke Luke out of his angry stupor. His sapphire eyes glanced down at the smoking tangle of wires where Vader's hand had been. They then moved to his own black-gloved appendage, the one that now held the sizzling blue weapon. Part of him was mechanical. Part of him was like his father. He, too, was a mechanical man.

But not all of him. 

“No, Prime Minister.” Luke slid out of his pack, dropping it on the navigator's chair. “You've failed. I'm a Jedi Guard, like my father before me....and a member of the Naboo Royal Family, like my mother.”

Palpatine's own blue eyes narrowed. “So be it, Your Majesty.”

Even as Palpatine moved forward, an explosion rocked the entire ship from stern to aft, sending him and Luke to their knees with Vader.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Langdon grinned as fire shot out of one of the rooms on the Death Star Airship like a roaring cannon. “See?” He nudged Niem. “I told you they'd do it!” 

The blast ripped apart the guns hanging under that room, as well as any shields or deflectors it may have had. The Falcon had no trouble flying right in, shooting hard and fast. 

“We will need more firepower, Mayor Croydon.” Laurence and members of Maz Kantana's pirate crews manned the cannons, shooting anything under or near them that moved. “We have all guns working as it is, but the Falcon is still taking damage.”

“Keep firing! Get as close to the Naval warships as you can.” Even with four cannons missing, the Death Star was still three times their size, with more guns than even many regular battle ships had. 

“At that range,” the Admiral insisted, “we won't last long against the Coruscant Navy.”

“We'll last longer than we will against that Death Star!” Langdon turned the ship around, closer to the massive silver airship. “And we might just take a few of them with us!”

Niem let out a long, loud stream of gibberish as one of the Death Star's cannons took off the Falcon's back fin and railing, running to Langdon to report the damage. “That was too close. Henry's going to kill me when he sees his ship.” 

As he swooped underneath the Death Star's undercarriage, most of the guns changed their focus. Niem pointed to the river below them. His gibberish became higher and faster. There was a big grin somewhere under that hang-dog upper lip of his. 

Langdon looked over his shoulder...and let out a cheer of his own. “The cavalry has arrived!” He grabbed a spyglass from under the ship's wheel and gazed down at the churning river waters. Four battle steam ships...five...or was it six? Six battleships flying the Alderaanian mountain and hawk banner exchanged fire with the Naboo Naval vessels. One had already been sunk, even as the crew of the Falcon watched. 

Niem was practically jumping up and down now. A familiar luxury yacht charged through the river, barely managing to wedge between two boats before cutting the largest Naboo cruiser off from the Admiral. While the Aurora Belle had no guns, he clearly saw exchange of rapid fire khyber crystal beams coming from Henry, Leia, Charles, and Rusty's brass pistols.

Another ship followed the Aurora Belle. Zeb, Sabine, and Ezra shot more of her colored smoke balls from their cannons. The air around the Ghost was filled with yellow, pink, blue, green, and lavender fog. Kanan fought with Naboo army 

Niem was doing a wild jig on the deck that was popular in his native Sullustia. Langdon slapped him on the back. “Ok buddy, you take the wheel. I'm going to take out that flying menace once and for all!”


	31. Chapter 31

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And we finally get to the last part, where Vader finally redeems himself, the Alderaan Navy arrives at the last minute, and we find out what happened to the entire cast.

Luke was climbing to his feet when he saw the Falcon swoop beneath the Death Star. He couldn't help his smirk at Palpatine, whom his father was helping to the deck. “You were too confident, Prime Minister. Not only would I never be your apprentice if you were the last teacher on Earth, but my friends, the people you put down and ignored and treated like the dirt under your fingernails, are about to destroy this floating death trap once and for all!”

Palpatine's growl was nearly as noisy as Charles'. He wasn't used to failure. Every plan of his for the past thirty years had worked out exactly as he'd designed. “You will pay for your defiance, royal brat.” He threw off the ermine cape and lifted his pasty-white fingers. “If you will not turn, you will be destroyed!”

Hot purple lightning exploded from his fingertips! It struck at Luke with the force of twenty Death Stars, knocking the boy half-way across the bridge. Vader watched as the youth's screams were nearly drowned out by his teacher's incessant cackling and the snapping purple fire.

“Father,” Luke begged through the violet haze, “please!”

He couldn't lose the boy. Not like he lost his mother, or the respect of his closest friend and beloved ward. He couldn't stand seeing another part of him lowered into the cold ground or a stone tomb. He'd had nightmares about seeing Padme on the hot dusty floor at the Mufasar Iron Works, throttled nearly to death by his own hand. He had lost Padme, lost Ben and Ahsoka. He would not lose his son.

Even with one hand, he easily lifted Palpatine over his head. The prime minister was so shocked at his pupil's betrayal, he wasn't able to concentrate fast enough to stop the lightning. It continued to strike Vader and rocket around the room as the hulking half-mechanical man hurled him into the glowing khyber crystal globe. He managed to shove Luke into a corner as the crystal liquid bubbled over, giving off a deafening explosion.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Henry, Leia, Charles, Wicket, and the servants watched the explosion from on-board the Aurora Belle. As the Ewoks cheered and celebrated behind them, Henry put his arms around Her Grace. “I'm sure Luke wasn't on that thing when it blew. Probably not Wedge or the boys, either.”

“He wasn't.” Leia's lovely face was thoughtful. “I can feel it.”

“So,” he started, “I guess you're going back to Alderaan after this. After all, the Diamond Jubilee is over. Luke will be crowned king, and you'll be Queen, and Wedge will be the kid's...uh, His Majesty's regent.” He shrugged, trying not to show how left out he felt. “Maybe it's time Charles and I finally headed out. Haven't been home to Chicago in years, and Charlie's got family on Kashyyak he wants to visit. I still want to expand Solo Shipping...”

Leia put a finger on his lips. “How about expanding it to Alderaan?”

Henry's eyes widened. “Huh?” he mumbled under her ring finger. 

She reached up, giving him the most passionate, romantic kiss she could manage on her tip-toes. “I'll be the Grand Duchess of Alderaan when Aunt Breha retires. I have no desire to become Queen. I'm already running a country.” She grinned. “But I could use a good Grand Duke, and the new Grand Duke and Duchess could use a devoted native bodyguard.” She kissed him again for good measure. “What do you say?”

Henry handsome face was slack-jawed and dreamy-eyed. “Uhhh...what was the question?” 

Leia laughed as Wicket hurried over, hugging both their legs. He loved seeing his two new favorite humans get together and mate! Maybe they'd even create cubs that he could teach to hunt and fight predators. He squeezed their limbs as they hugged each other. 

“Oh, you two are so beautiful!” Charles threw his wide, hairy arms around all three of them. “I love happy endings!”

Henry chuckled. “Me too, buddy.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Luke was doing his best to drag his father down a hall, having had to abandon the bridge when most of it was blasted out from under them. He didn't realize how damn heavy all that armor was! It was like moving three tons of bricks, or trying to carry Charles around when he got knocked on the noggin. He finally settled down at the end of the hall to rest, leaning his father gently against the wall.

“Luke,” Vader coughed, “help me take this mask off.”

“No, Father, you need it!” Luke frowned. “You'll die!”

“Then I'll die.” He gently ran a gloved finger over the boy's tanned cheeks. “Just for once...let me look on you with my own eyes.”

It took a minute to unlatch the helmet and breathing apparatus. When Luke finally pulled off the helmet, he was surprised to be staring into sapphire eyes very much like his own. The rest of his skin was dead white and was plastered with deep, jagged scars, where it wasn't burned off entirely. “Father...how did this happen?” the boy gasped.

“Kenton and I...Mufasar Iron Works...confronted me...about killing Jedi children...” Vader hacked so hard, his son was surprised an iron lung didn't land on the floor. “Palpatine told me...give me power if I killed Jedi...we fought...” He managed to let out a strangled bleat that might have been a growl. “Cut off my legs...let me fall into a vat...master found...stitched into suit. Thought I killed your mother...”

“No,” Luke assured him. “Leia and Rusty told me she got away.”

“Rusty...Richard...he's still around?” A smile played on the scarred lips of the man who was once Baron Anakin Skywalker. “Tell him...I miss him.” He took his son's hand. “Luke, you were right...about me. Tell your sister...you were right.”

“Father? Father!” Even as Luke pleaded, Baron Anakin Skywalker's eyes closed. The benevolent Baron Skywalker and corrupt Baron Vader died peacefully in the lap of his grieving son. 

“Luke?” Another explosion rocked the hall, sending Luke flying into his late father's metal lap. “What the hell are you doing here?” Wedge and five other silhoettes were nearly thrown into the hall, falling into each other. 

“Wedge!” The future king of Naboo stumbled to his feet. “I've never been so glad to see you in my life!”

His lover grinned. “It's nice to be appreciated.”

The rest of the League of the Crimson Hawk gathered around Vader's armor. Wes poked at it with his gun. “Is he dead?”

Corran held up the breathing mask, its many tubes now hanging loose over his hand. “Where's the rest of him?”

Luke sighed. “I'm not sure, but I think he became one with the Force.”

“Wait!” Gavin grabbed the mask from Corran. “I always wanted to do this.” He held the mask over his face, then wailed in a higher-pitched, raspy voice, “I am Baron Vader! I am the terror that leaps in the night! I...hey!”

“Stop that!” Luke snatched the mask back. “That's my father you're making fun of!”

Wedge took a step away, his blue eyes wide. “Your father? I thought he killed your father!”

“It's a long story.” The young king handed the mask and helmet to Corran. “I'm going to need help getting his armor out of here. Do you have the Rogue?”

Wedge nodded. “It's attached to the back docking area. I just hope Calarissian didn't blast it to bits along with the rest of this death machine.”

“That's a chance we'll have to take.” Luke took Vader's arm. “Wedge, you get his other wrist. Gavin, Wes, you take his legs.”

Wes wrinkled his nose as more explosions nearly sent them right into Vader's rear end. “No offense, Baron, but that's a little closer than I ever wanted to be to you.” 

Gavin yanked at a heavy boot. “I hope half-robots don't have smelly feet.”

Tycho smacked his arm. “Would you guys just get going?”

“Yeah, we don't have a lot of time.” Corran tucked the mask and helmet under his arm as another explosion nearly bounced him off a wall. “I'd like to get out of this in one piece!”

Gavin barely lifted a leg before he was panting. “Whoa, this jerk is heavy! Did he subside on a steady diet of lead pellets?”

“Make jokes about his size later.” Luke winced as the ship lurched starboard. “Get to the Rogue now!”

~*~*~*~*~*~

The Rogue and the Falcon were the last ships out before the Death Star II saw its final demise in a fiery conflagration that could be seen for thousands of miles across three Alliance countries. The two airships met the Aurora Belle, the Ghost, and the remaining Naboo and Coruscant ships in the harbor at Lothal.

“Lelita!” Bail was the first one off the Alderaan steam cruiser Tiana Ariel. His adored niece hurried into his arms. “I'm so glad to see you again! I've missed my girl.”

“Uncle Bail!” She gave him the biggest hug she could manage. “You don't know how happy I am to see you!” She grinned, giving his arm a playful slug. “You just had to get that dramatic last-minute entrance!”

Bail rubbed his arm, but he was laughing. “Your aunt always did say I was a drama queen.”

“Leia!” Breha and Mon Mothma followed him onto the deck. “Thank heavens you're all right!”

“I'm fine, Auntie.” She gave them both hugs, then turned to Henry and Charles. The duo stood behind her on the dock, shuffling from foot to foot, looking a little sheepish. “Aunt Breha, Uncle Bail, meet the Crimson Hawk, and one of his men, Chewbacca of Kashyyak.”

Bail smirked. “I knew it. I knew all along it had to be you. A pirate can never hide his swagger. You swaggered even when you were walking with a cane.”

His wife nodded. “I'd suspected it as well.”

“Looks like intelligence runs in the family.” Henry put an arm around Leia. “Your Graces, I'd like permission to court your niece. I think I've sort-of gotten used to having her around. I could use a new manager for Solo Shipping, since Junior's going to be busy with Naboo.”

“Sort of?” Leia glared at him. “You were very close to violently making love with me ten minutes ago!”

“Hey, that was your idea, Your Grace.” He put his hands on his hips. “I have half a mind to take back that job offer.”

Leia stepped right up to his face. “Don't start giving away half your mind. You won't have anything left!”

“Oh, yeah?” Henry was going to start into another retort when Charles finally nudged him into Leia's arms. “I think I have enough for this.” He pulled her into another kiss. This time, she did not protest.

Laughter erupted around the docks when they finally came up for air. Luke, Wedge, the Rogues, Langdon, Niem, Admiral Ackbar, Rusty, Charles, and the crew of the Ghost were all watching on the dock or the deck of the Admiral's ship.

“Damn, boy.” Langdon let loose with a long wolf whistle. “That was some impressive love-making right there.”

“You'll like courting a sailor, Leia.” Kanan gave Hera a squeeze. “I know I love mine.” Ezra and Sabine snickered as they, too, pulled into an embrace.

The Admiral bowed deeply for Luke as he and Wedge pushed through the crowd. “Your Majesty,” he began. “My men have secured the remaining Coruscant boats. The survivors will likely be sent back to Coruscant City under an armed escort tomorrow.”

Bail put his arms around Luke. “Leia wrote me and told me everything. I'm proud of you, my boy...and Padme would have been proud of you, too.” He frowned at the haunted look in the youth's eyes. “What happened? Where's Vader and Palpatine? Went down with the ship?”

“Palpatine did. Vader died killing him.” Luke pulled away. “I...there's something I have to do. Wedge, I need to borrow the Rogue. I'll see you at Corellia Manor later.”

Wedge frowned. “All right, Luke.” He gave him a kiss of his own, ignoring the grins and kissy noises from the rest of the Rogue League. “But we'll get some alone time later?”

“Of course.” Luke kissed his brow. “After the party's over, we'll have all the time in the world.”

Henry grinned. “Good idea, Junior. Everyone's invited to Corellia Manor for the biggest celebration in the history of Naboo!” He rubbed the top of Wicket's bear head covering. “You too, pipsqueak. Bring your whole clan.” The little Ewok chattered with joy.

Langdon put an arm around him. “I'll bring the champagne, directly from the finest wine-growers in Bespin.”

Leia smiled at the two men in her arms. “Let's go, League of the Crimson Hawk. We deserve a real ball..for all the people of Naboo.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Alone in the woods in near Theed Town, Luke burned what remained of Vader's armor. A part of him wished his father had survived. He would never meet Leia or Henry under more pleasant circumstances, never get a chance to truly redeem himself. He could have done so much more. 

There would also never have to be a trial, nor jail time. He was all too aware of how Naboo's laws worked. Regardless of his actions in the end, Vader had murdered dozens of people, including a whole school of children, and had ordered scores of others killed. He also wasn't entirely sure Leia could ever forgive him for his treatment of her and Henry.

After there was nothing left but metal and ashes, he had the remains buried in Padme's tomb with his beloved wife. Many protested this, claiming he was not royalty, nor was deserving of the title. Luke insisted on it. He needed to be with Padme. He missed her. The boy never knew what became of the melted helmet and mask; they were lost in the remains when he took the ashes away.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Luke was crowned king of Naboo in a ceremony two weeks later. Leia, Bail, and Breha remained at Chalindria Court for the coronation. Wedge married Luke the week afterwards, becoming Crown Regent. The two kept Corellia Manor as their summer home and the Aurora Belle as the royal family's official yacht. The Rogues remained on as the King and Regent's personal bodyguards. The Admiral was made head of the Royal Naboo Navy. 

The new king offered Rusty a position as an adviser, but he declined. “That's ok, kid.” He adjusted his tool belt. “I'm just happy I can fix the furnace at Nabarrie Palace again. I have my tools, my work, and my friends. A man doesn't need much else in this world.”

Cedric was relieved to return to Chalindria Court, where he continued on as the secretary to Mon Mothma for many years. After the Senator retired, Leia offered him a position as her secretary. He proudly and delightedly accepted. 

Captain Hera Sylendulla also turned down a commission, preferring to remain on the Ghost. Kanan and Luke began a school for new young Jedi guards, hoping to increase their ranks. Ezra Bridger and Sabine Wren did attend school, thanks to the new scholarships given to “youths of outstanding character” by the Royal Family. Sabine attended art school in Paris; upon her return to Naboo, she became a well-known painter and commercial artist. Ezra opened a small, radical newspaper in Lothal, widely read by many extreme thinkers.

Hux and Boba Fettson were both charged with crimes against the crown and arrested. While Hux was eventually released, he was exiled from Naboo and never allowed in the country again. Boba Fettson died in a shootout in jail a few months after his arrest.

Luke and Leia visited Ahsoka in the hospital. She made a full recovery, enough to join Cassian and Jyn in covering the coronation and the wedding. Her wild cheers were louder than anyone's when the bishop placed the crown on Luke's golden brow. She eventually took over as editor of the Theed Daily Star from Rex Fettson on his retirement. Cassian married Jyn after two noisy years of courtship. They were the Daily Star's top husband-wife reporter team for years, exposing corruption not only in Naboo, but throughout Europe.

Langdon Croydon used the money from selling Bella Vista and his share in the Bespin mining facilities to buy Jenkins' Casino and holdings in Tatoonie. As the Tropicale del Coronado, the casino flourished, becoming one of the most beloved gambling spots and extravagant resorts in the entire Alliance. Even the King and Regent of Naboo and Duke and Grand Duchess of Alderaan could occasionally be seen playing a game of baccarat with its elegant owner and host.

The party at Corellia Manor lasted for three days, most of which Henry Solo insists he still doesn't remember. He flew Leia and her parents back to Alderaan on the Falcon the day after the coronation. He and Charles briefly returned to Naboo to settle their remaining debts there. The second Solo Shipping offices opened in Alderaan three months later. 

Henry never made it to America. He was too busy dating his beloved Duchess. It took three years of courtship, but they were finally married in a simple ceremony attended only by Leia's aunt and uncle, Rusty, Charles, Cedric, Luke, Wedge, and Ahsoka. Charles did remain their devoted bodyguard, becoming even more protective when it was discovered Leia was with child.

“Some summer, huh?” Henry and Leia stood on the balcony of Aldra House, less than a month after their wedding. “Amazing what can happen on vacation.”

“That trip was the best vacation I ever had.” Leia leaned on his shoulder. “Even with the Death Stars.” She grinned up at him. “You know, I sometimes miss the Crimson Hawk. I wonder what happened to him? To him, and the Golden Eagle, and the White Swan.”

He smiled as he rubbed his wife's round stomach. The dreamy glow that she exuded wasn't entirely due to the rosy sunset going on behind the castle. The father to be gave his wife a kiss. “What happened to them? Why, they lived happily ever after.”

**The End**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! That was officially the longest fanfic I have ever written! Thank you for hanging on until the end of this monster. But don't touch that dial! I have plans for at least four more Star Wars historical AU novels, including two I've already started. Look for my Original Trilogy AU 80's action-comedy, coming soon!


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